Cup of Harmony 89 - Everything Thread

by **North Oharan Valley Union** » Wed Sep 11, 2024 3:48 am

Timestamp: 11 September 2024 - 11h48
Tags: Football, Cup of Harmony 89, Green Lions

All Ambition Comes At A Cost
Raising the targets could lead to growing pains

“I do not know if we have to call our performance naive. To the contrary even, most of it showed our learning curve and the steps we have taken. All of us.” In a split second, Serhey Baltuk looked sideways, probably seeing the red numbers of the scoreboard glitter in the dark night. “But yeah, most of it… You don’t really buy anything with that. It needs to be all the time. We need to be focussed till the final whistle.” For the first eighty minutes, the duel between the Union and Patriotlandia proved to be a chore for those who refused to miss a minute of the tournament (and they probably wondered if they would just rewatch the HOT-DAMN vs Reçueçn clash). This was quite a surprise at first sight as both sides usually focus on goal scoring rather than defending but both sides seemed less motivated to go out tonight. The blanc-et-blue might have still been recovering from their opening loss to Kanzlia and the rather experimental line-up from Carignan tried to get the basics right first. The North Oharese, on the other hand, seemed a bit stuck between two thoughts: the counterpunching methods had given them a surprise win on the opening night and it made leaning back a bit too attractive.

The game could have ended on a dreary nil all that way, but as the final whistle approached, the Green Lions pushed forward. A first good shot from Ghazaryan was punched out of danger by Lincoln Green and a chaotic corner kick looked destined for the net if Metakvili had not found defender Sauveterre on the goal line. The fans in the Kabonero III field, that was properly packed for this confrontation between the third and sixth pick of the group, also felt that a win was on the books. If NOVU scored, they were just a few points away from an unanticipated knock-out phase and even Baltuk got caught up in the atmosphere: back Arnesen was rested and right-wing Brody Dunn got his third appearance. The dribbler of the Kishniken Rovers showcased his skill with a marvelous stepover and subsequent rabona, but in minute 86, he lost possession to Brie Jacques. In his back, there was plenty of space and Eloi Jacquet made clever use of that to dart past Calitis and create a 3 vs 2 situation in front of the Oharese box. Ophelie Dumas did not miss the opportunity to underline her ambitions for the Patriotlandian starting line-up and left Zornakyan without a chance.

“It is a growing pain,” Baltuk concluded his interview, “but let us see in the next three games who learned from this and who not. Today we wanted more than we could chew off, but all ambition comes at a cost.” An intriguing open invitation to criticize his work but Baltuk stepped away before the interviewer could add a follow-up question. As such, the national manager kept the fuzz limited and had to share the headlines of the papers the next day with minister O’Reilly. Some claimed that the timing of the Minister of National Spirit (a vague denominator that includes among others the sports department) was inspired by the antics of PM Kavorkian after the opening match. By launching the ‘FOOTBA26’ initiative, O’Reilly could distract the tabloids, known for their short attention span and tendency to drool at anything that appears new and shiny. And one can give a lot of adjectives to ‘FOOTBA26’ (Future Organisation and Ordening Towards a Better Accommodation) such as fuzzy, overambitious and unrealistic. But ‘shiny’ was definitely among them.

It is no secret that the current football infrastructure only barely makes the bar for international football. Most placings are still standing and many grounds suffer from concrete degradation and the results of vandalism. And we are not even discussing the mediocre parking arrangements, missing invalid infrastructure and the questionable safety measures. Vilarme’s Kaujas Lauks Stadium is a bit of an outlier with large, covered, seating sections but still already has an outdated vibe to it. The rectangular ground with its characteristic ‘control tower’ along the long side might have a certain charm but in its original form it was built in 1967. In 1995, a serious redecoration was executed which gave it some flair: the navy accents can be seen as charming and the enlarged halls give some sort of confidence that dramas can be avoided. As such, it is acceptable as an international ground, but not future proof.

To cover that, there were rumors about the erection of a new national stadium but it was clear that any discussion about the location would lead to an endless debate: the price to pay in a young nation constituted by seven, sometimes bickering, regions. To cover that, O’Reilly outlined in the FOOTBA26 presentation that not one new stadium would be founded but that funds would be earmarked to allow for twelve new infrastructures. Much detail was not known, but the focus would be on private-public participation: the central government will remove as much red tape as possible and ensure a tax deduction on grounds and materials. The clubs and local governments need to find the means to create the stadium and will have to abide by a few conditions: greener grounds (not just in terms of grass), easily reachable by public transport, safe and qualified for international football with at least fifteen thousand seats. These places would be spread across the country and would become the only grounds where the national team will play. During the presentation, O’Reilly alluded several times to the possibility of hosting an international tournament, even if any sort of experience with such an endeavor is missing at the moment. Obviously critics quickly slammed her megalomaniac idea, if not for the utter impossibility of erecting twelve stadiums by 2026, then for the gigantic hidden costs to the community. O’Reilly simply replied that “all ambition comes at a cost” and stepped away before the interviewer could add a follow-up question.

by **Brusseldorf** » Wed Sep 11, 2024 10:01 am

Match Reports

sort by |latest ⮟|

Alanis Star 0–1 Brusseldorf
September 10th
Kawesa Stadium, Mynda, Banija

After a tense 90 minutes, Brusseldorf took victory in last night's clash against Esportiva-based Alanis Star. The Valentian side looked to take control early on, pressing high and forcing a series of corners within the first 20 minutes. Ricard Sciolan made an important goal-line clearance in the 21st minute, and his goaltender teammate Gimenza Azoulay was called into action seconds later, the Atlas United keeper making a crucial save to stop Igor Dinan’s header. For all their pressing, the Valentians couldn’t find a way through, slowly allowing Brusseldorf to get into their groove. The breakthrough finally came in the 41st minute, when Teddy Wolfenden latched onto a perfectly weighted through ball from Michael Hernández, sliding the ball past Victor Denisovich to give Los Alrededores a narrow lead heading into the break.

The second half saw a rejuvenated Alanis Star take to the field. Manager Clementine Tanaka had ordered her players to drop deeper into their half, to move into space and to give themselves time to create passing options. To the displeasure of the travelling Valentian fans, Brusseldorf’s midfield duo of Sarah Pickett and Vindark Al Maghribī worked tirelessly to disrupt the build-up play. Alanis Star struggled to create any clear chances, with their forwards' frustration made evident by a few wayward long shots. A late flurry of corners from Alanis Star in the closing minutes kept tensions high, but Azoulay was untroubled, the game finishing 0-1 to Brusseldorf.

After a dream start to the cup, Brusseldorf will travel to Albert III Memorial Stadium to face their toughest opponents yet - World No. 52, Kamijiro.

by **The Ko-orenite Constellation** » Wed Sep 11, 2024 11:38 am

The mood ahead of the Cup of Harmony was difficult to poll. When it was just teams per territory fighting for their own pride and success, the hype was very real, but now that the team's been diluted to the stars of each place having to adopt a common, cookie-cutter play style, it's different. A few fans have travelled to Banija, wearing jerseys of their own territory - the blood red of Tarören has been spotted a few times - but the neutral white jersey and black shorts aren't sported by fans. To them, the Constellation is a political tool. At best it's a vague statement about cooperation. You're not there to support the Constellation, you're there to support your own and you hope that the rest of the team does their best to set them up for success.

That said, they are very happy that the best of their home were invited. It's an indication of how well (asterisk) things have been going in various places. The Constellation might not play a part in the daily life of the average Isidoran, but the fact that Pérez, Samper, Guezala, and Malapeir are playing some of the best teams in the multiverse just a few years after this hare-brained scheme of entering eight teams into the qualifiers was concocted, is inspiring. And hey, people from different territories are meeting up - in more ways than one, the football team has done more for cultural exchanges than any suit could come up with in a Ko-oren-subsidised, air-conditioned board room several thousand miles away from the actual territory at hand.

No matter the success of the Cup of Harmony - the Constellation is a thing outside of politics now. And the pride of, say, seeing Kartawijaya represent the place you grew up playing alongside other, similarly talented players - unbeatable. Places that have long been defined by what they're not, eg. Ko-oren, are now operating independently... enough.

The football cultures of these places are different, though. Cities like Tergan and Sülüzer in Tarören have multiple clubs and a fifty-thousand seater each. The crimson seating of Tergan's central Sarı Şövalye Stadium is one of the biggest stadiums in all of the Constellation. The disjointed scene in Bandar Cang Prathoren is the complete opposite, with each club operating their own venue which only sit about five to fifteen-thousand as a result. Hoa Sen Municipal stadium of Trung Tam Ninh La is maybe the closest to a national thing with its convenient location in the middle of the sprawl - but at least suggesting it as a national venue won't be too controversial an opinion... whereas suggesting that the Sarı Şövalye is Tarören's finest will get you in a heated discussion in seconds if said to a fan of the wrong club.

The very best in sports stadiums is in Mercatoren, for sure, but those aren't football-specific. And other places, like Shahrbanoren and Uruashorne are only getting started - a prestige project like a stadium is a little too bourgeois for their plans right now.

by **Savojarna** » Wed Sep 11, 2024 12:23 pm

SavojarSports.sj - Savojarna's Sports News Website

Stumbled: Savojarna throw pole position in Riena defeat

Written by Ingmar Alfredsson

Herzegovina City/Banija - It had seemed so good a few days ago when the Northlights, playing with a fervour and drive that seemed straight out of the last days of World Cup qualifying, defeated Yakk handily thanks to a double by Medberg Hansen. Savojarna had controlled the game, monopolising the ball in midfield and using any gaps in the Yakk defence to slice through the lines and find their cold-blooded strikers. The same level of control and quickness was expected on the next day against Riena, and it was displayed for about half an hour, pressuring Riennese keeper Miku Suzutsuki relentlessly but failing to get through her so far. Medberg Hansen - who else - got closest nineteen minutes in, but failed to beat the keeper as she just about got her foot in.

Then, Yume Waraku, having for once been moved from her usual left side to the right, duped Hedvig Riksdal on a quick run, and circled the ball to the far top corner, a dreamlike goal that marked her first score in the Riennese national team jersey. Olga Valujev was chanceless in reaching this shot, and Waraku managed to showcase the qualities she possesses. Savojarna seemed shook, but did not yet lose their cool, nearly striking back just three minutes later as Medberg Hansen shot five centimetres wide after muscling past Shikimori. The Northligths secured an important equaliser just before the break as Novikov played a flat, sharp pass back to Vingegaard who scored from fifteen metres, but the game was still on a knife’s edge after the first 45 minutes, with the Savojars being more than aware how important a win would be as top seed Drawkland lost their opener.

However, it wasn’t meant to be as the team got increasingly nervous in the second half. Mistakes slipped in, first by Barisjnikov who played three horrendous passes in a row before being subbed out a bit under an hour into the game, then by Thelander who stayed too wide to stop Nekoda before she nearly scored. Roman Sadianov then completely broke his team’s spirit with a clumsy midfield challenge against captain Ichika Kirikaze, netting him a second yellow card that was not in doubt for a second. The loss of their central midfielder put up a serious tactical question that Kruul Jensen solved by maintaining his back three, but cutting out the second winger in Novikov, bringing on Anton Vitol to stabilise the midfield, and use Mäkelä as a second striker.

The plan may have worked if it hadn’t been for another mistake just five minutes later, where Ivanov was hanging a bit too far back after the shift and left a lot of space to the Riennese buildup - and decided to move up in the worst moment possible, allowing Mercerian to rush through and beat Thelander in the 1v1. In Shishido, the Riennese found a player able to contest Röysveit in the air and a powerful goal by header, which set them ahead of Savojarna. With defeat in their eyes, the Northlights crumbled apart, allowing a third late game by Nagara off a bad clearance and a somewhat lucky shot that Valujev probably could, if not should, have stopped. A late 2-2 by My Mäkelä was denied by off-side, a clearly correct decision that nonetheless did not help Savojar confidence.

The painful loss keeps Savojarna second in a bloodbath of a group, with the Northlights, Yakk, Oberour ar Moro, and Drawkland all on three points and Riena the sole six point team. West Vdara are stuck on zero points following a spectacular 5-3 against Drawkland. Savojarna play next against Oberour ar Moro, a crucial game that will shape whether they are entering the back stretch of this group stage on a high or in dire need of points. A significant increase in resilience and focus will be needed to solve this task

Savojarna 1-3 Riena (1-1)

Goals: 28’ Waraku 0-1 (Nakiri), 40’ Vingegaard 1-1 (Novikov), 72’ Shishido 1-2 (Mercerian), 89’ Nagara 1-3.
Yellow Cards: 17’ Skamandros, 35’ Sadianov, 66’ Sadianov, 79’ Thelander (all foul).
Red Cards: 66’ Sadianov (foul, second yellow).
Remarks: 85’ Goal Savojarna disallowed for offside.

Savojarna: Valujev - Riksdal (79’ Holtby), Röysveit, Thelander - Krogstrup, Sadianov, Vingegaard, Ivanov - Barisjnikov (58’ Mäkelä), Medberg Hansen, Novikov (67’ Vitol).
Riena: Suzutsuki - Kisaragi, Shikimori, Skamandros, Sangomiya - Kirikaze (84’ Ishikari), Nagara, Nakiri (79’ Shirasu) - Mercerian, Nekoda (61’ Shishido), Waraku.

by **Katzeburg** » Wed Sep 11, 2024 1:27 pm

Anton Waldo was jubilant. As he walked out of the Stadium of the Restoration, he had never experienced a feeling like this before - Katzeburg had won two on the bounce and were quickly becoming early favourites to sneak out of their group.

“I can’t believe this, have you ever seen anything like this before?” he said to Greyson and Mathias as they stepped out into the crisp Banijan evening air.

“Us win some games? Maybe once or twice,” Greyson said sarcastically.

“No, no - A sense of goodwill around the team! All these travelling Katzeburgian fans, passionate and enjoying themselves - we didn’t see that during the World Cup campaign!”

“Well to be fair, that was because that guy from the federation went on national TV and looked like a moron - what was his name again? Jesus? Jessica? Jossefat?” Mathias said, listing off any name starting with J he could think of.

“True, but this feels different. Like we are seeing something historic happen.”

“What about the Baptism of Fire? The crowds got bigger and bigger during our run there, and then we got pumped by Edsmontik and Restresas!”

“That was ages ago - we’re a totally different team now!”

“It really only feels like a few weeks Anton.”

“Nevermind that - the crowd is here and loving life. This is the perfect chance for us to push forward with bringing new members in! Get em while they are hot!”

“Are you talking about Drake and Owen there Anton?” Mathias said, shuddering back to the start of Anton’s fanfic which he ended up reading during the flight to Banija - It was alright, if not a little derivative of the young adult Daybreak series causing teenage girls to swoon up and down the coasts of Katzeburg.

“What? No - not at all! I’m talking about the fact the team is in form and we can use this to bring more people in!”

“You mean like Team Katzeburg?” Mathias said, gesturing to a stall just outside the stadium covered in the blue, yellow, and black of the Katzeburgian team.

Team Katzeburg. How Anton hated them. The largest fan group in the country, the group had thousands of loyal backers attending every national game and much to the chagrin of Anton, singing worse songs out of tune.

“I should have known they would do something like this!” Anton raged, his fists curling in anger. “They think they’re so much better than us just because there is more of them and they have more funding.”

“And they are better looking too,” Greyson piped up.

“Exactly. And their penises work,” Mathias said swept up into the momentum before rapidly realising where he was - shrinking like a violet.

“You are right fellas,” Anton sighed. What could they do? They were always going to be a few steps behind.

Anton drooped his head and looked around the stadium grounds, taking the scene in. It was at this point he noticed a large bus well off to the left decked out in the Katzeburg colours - the team bus.

A huge smile crept across Anton’s face as a plan started to sneak into his head.

“Fellas, I know how we’re going to make this a campaign to remember - We’re going to confirm our status as the best fan club in the country by getting exclusive access to the team during our time here in Banija.”

“How are we going to do that?” Greyson enquired.

“We’re going to break into the team hotel.”

Qusmo 1 - 2 Katzeburg
(Sevet-Matez 22’ // Wruck 60’, Levitt 72’)

Possession - 65% // 35%
Shots on Target - 3 // 7
Shots - 6 // 16
Fouls - 12 // 14

1 Whinery, 2 Howland, 15 Clarkson (Levitt 65’), 4 Knepp, 5 Colbert, 6 Plank, 7 Horsfall, 18 Arkwright (Moores 65’), 19 Spears, 10 Wruck, 11 Niles (Field 65’)

Player of the Match - Wruck (KAT)

Katzeburg keep hot start going with upset over Qusmo

Katzeburg have claimed their second upset of the Cup of Harmony, knocking off Qusmo 2-1 at the Stadium of the Restoration in Busukuma to stay undefeated so far.

The Blue Cats went behind midway through the first half thanks to a stunning long-range effort from Qusmo striker Fox Sevet-Matez, which caught Katzeburg keeper Ry Whinery out of place and gave the world number 48 side an early lead.

Katzeburg were unable to break down the Qusmo defence in the opening half, with a pair of half-chances falling the way of Vera Horsfall and Meriel Arkwright all to write home about.

But the side would break through in the second half, with Katzeburg talisman Drake Wruck continuing his strong goal-scoring form with a neat chip over the head of Kepex-Cheng in goal to level the scores.

Captain Owen Levitt would pull the side ahead 12 minutes later after coming off the bench to score a rocketing header off a Serena Plank corner to score just his second international goal - and one which harkens back to his last minute effort to secure passage to the Baptism of Fire knockouts.

The result sees Katzeburg maintain a perfect start to their Cup of Harmony campaign, securing two wins out of two against two sides with higher world rankings.

“It puts us in a really good stead for the coming few matchdays,” Katzeburg manager Becka Haberkorn said.

“We weren’t expecting to get much from the first two matches, especially against such quality opposition, so to be sitting undefeated after two is a great start.

“Obviously there’s a lot more football to play, but the team are ready and up for it and working really well as a unit so far - obviously having a lot of time under their belts as a team is starting to show in the fluidity of how we are playing.”

Katzeburg next face Hispinas, which at 134th are the lowest ranked side in the group, but are coming off a close-fought 0-1 loss to group leaders Sangti and the Filindo Isles.

by **Oberour Ar Moro** » Wed Sep 11, 2024 1:48 pm

WHO WE ARE

The Parade Grounds is an Oberour football stadium located in the Père-Blesse neighborhood of Regium, the capital of the Dominion of Oberour Ar Moro. Today the stadium can seat 49,670 spectators, making it the 10th largest stadium in the Dominion. The Parade Grounds started as a military parade ground where Oberour Ar Moro Chancellors and Ministers could observe military exercises along with the public. But since those days of yore has grown with Regium to become the center of sports in Oberour Ar Moro.

The most famous sporting venue in the Dominion, the Parade Grounds are the permanent home of Patrons, the three-time Premier Division champion football team. It also hosts the semi-finals and finals of the Iconosis Ministers Cup, and the curtain-raising Benevolent Cup. Further is the home ground of the Oberour Ar Moro National Football Team.

Internationally, the stadium has hosted the finals of the Thirty-Sixth and Forty-Third editions of the International University Challenge Championship, the twelfth Campeonato Rushmori Juvenil Sub-20, and the fifty-second IFCF Cup Winners' Cup.

The Parade Grounds are owned and operated by the Ministry of Culture on behalf of the citizenry, truly making this stadium Oberour Ar Moro's Stadium.

OOC: The picture of the Parade Grounds was generated through midjourney, the text was added in paint.net.

by **Kamijiro** » Wed Sep 11, 2024 1:56 pm

衞。Defend, Part Three: The News Arrives in Banija.

It's a scheduled to be a day like most others for the Lightning. Wake up, training before the match and then it's go-time against HUElavia...

That is, until the news filters into camp about the attack on Relâmpago Naval Base back home. 600 sailors dead or unaccounted for. An attack from outside forces, one never seen before in the history of Kamijiro. Training is abruptly called off as the team hurries back into the resort's media room to flip on the news from back home. The anchor speaks in a very business-like tone as she repeats the basic information.

"A joint declaration of war from Nakahini and Velikaca, who have bemoaned Kamijiro's foreign policy and influence within the region sent an unprovoked attack squad of bombers to Relâmpago Naval Base. Over 600 sailors lost their lives and several hundred more are severely injured. King Kaminari spoke earlier this morning about the attack and the next steps forward."

The screen cuts to an impromptu speech from the King.

"Obviously, we did not see this coming. If we had, we would have been better prepared for it and we would have been able to repel the attacking force. For now, the military's leadership is meeting to discuss the plans going forward. I have no further comment at this time, as all of our leadership decisions will be kept in-house. We do not believe there is significant risk to the general population, though we have made plans to keep subway stations open as bomb shelters - they are far enough underground to insulate from bombings."

The screen cuts back to the anchor.

"For residents of cities with a subway system, please make note of your closest station and be prepared to shelter in place within the station if need be. As the King said, there is a very low expectation of an attack on civilian areas, but we are also dealing with unprecedented times now."

The screen cuts to black as Raiji Kagawa turns off the television. After a while, he finally speaks up.

"As much as I know we're all hurting right now, dwelling won't do us any good. If any of you need somebody to talk to, I'm here. For now, let's go back to practice. Let's put on a good showing tonight to give the people back hope and something to cheer for, okay? We can't let ourselves get beat mentally over this - we have to show how resilient we are. Let's go. Lightning on three!"

"ONE, TWO, THREE, LIGHTNING!" Raiji and the team roar in unison as they head back out to training.

Later that night, hope is exactly what the Kamijiroan National Team would provide for the country in the wake of the single-worst attack on their home soil. Going up against a side they'd never beaten prior - HUElavia - a single goal would prove the difference once more, this one from the boot of Kaneto Kanazono in the 44th. After some staunch defending from the back line and a last-ditch clearance from Katsu Fujiwara, the score line stayed at 1-0 all the way though the second half and the Lightning left with a famous 1-0 victory over a side they were ranked much lower than coming into the match.

Meanwhile, in a hospital bed back in Porto de Kamijiro...

"Hey, nurse?" Ash calls. An older woman with smile lines that clashed heavily with bags under her eyes walked into the room.
"Yes, hon?"
"How did my CT scans look? I never heard back."
"Well... you did suffer severe injuries. You have some metal in your leg that'll have to be removed and a broken arm, that's why we have you numbed up. But in terms of long-term, you'll be fine. You're not super high-up on the triage list, so we don't think you're at a high risk of death. But I suspect you may not be able to go back to being active-duty, at least not for a while."
"I guess I'll take it. Did you guys ever figure out who brought me here?"
"No, we didn't. She dropped you off by the door and left. All we know is she was in fatigues and looked like she was in her mid-thirties. But other than that, no."
"I need to find her. I need to thank her. I shouldn't have escaped that boat. But... I did, somehow."
"You'll find her if Raijin wills it. Now rest, child. The road to recovery is a long one. Would you like me to put on the television?"
"Sure."

The television flickers on. For the first time since the attack, the headlines are about sports again. The 1-0 win for the National Team has lifted the spirits of the country once more. Even the heavily-injured Ash can't help but smile at the replay of the goal and the ensuing post-game celebrations by the travelling Kamijiroan faithful...

by **Recuecn** » Wed Sep 11, 2024 2:03 pm

Bonheur Relié, manager of the équipe nationale de Reçueçn de football, had just come out of a meeting with his assistant coach, Ägidius Heissler, and was trying to find a spot in Istria for lunch. After Reçueçn's disastrous start to the Cup of Harmony against the Oharese, things had to go well in the upcoming match against the Hapilopper Overseas Territories. Bonheur's mind was distracted, full of all the permutations, when his phone rang, snapping him out of his daydream.

"Hello?" Bonheur answered with a quizzical tone. He didn't recognize the number. He'd gotten a new sim card for the trip to Banija, but he'd hardly given the number to anyone, so who could be calling.

"Hey! Good afternoon! I hope I'm not interrupting anything, Monsieur Relié?" The voice at the other end sounded warm and friendly, but Bonheur couldn't recognize it.

"No, not at all--sorry, who is this? I don't have you in my contacts somehow."

"It's Bill! From Reçueçn FC..."

"Oh! Monsieur LaVoyard!" Bill Lavoyard was one of the representatives to the executive council of the FNRF (Fédération Nationale de Reçueçn de Football). But if the federation ever needed to communicate with Bonheur, they had official channels to use. So what could Bill be calling about? Bonheur asked him as much.

Bill's tone grew more serious. "I just wanted to call outside of any official capacity," he said. "The executive council had a meeting this morning and I know they're not planning to give you an official heads up or anything. But as I know you're aware, your managerial contract runs out at the end of the Cup of Harmony."

"Yes..." Suddenly Bonheur felt nervous.

"I know we've said before that an extension is very possible and we haven't set any explicit requirements in terms of results for the team," said Bill. "But the sense I got during the meeting is that everyone expected us to qualify for the World Cup. After last cycle went so well, expectations were high--maybe too high. And obviously I'm not personally blaming you. But you know how it goes. People need a scapegoat. And after that last game against Ohara--" LaVoyard trailed off.

"Are you saying that I'm going to get the axe?" Bonheur was straight to the point.

"No. Nothing's decided yet. But I do think that if you want to renew your contract, a good result in the Cup of Harmony is imperative. Or at least something you can point to to say--I accomplished this. If you can't make it out of the group stage--I think that will be the end."

"I see."

"I always thought you did a good job, Bonheur. I don't want to make things awkward between us. Just calling to give you a heads up. I mean it as a friend."

"Yeah, I understand. Thank you."

"Well... Good luck in the tournament."

"Thanks."

The line went dead. Relié had a lot to think about.

It was not long before the game against HOT-DAMN. The team was a bit of an unknown for Relié--not that he hadn't done his research, he just wasn't sure what would happen when Reçueçn went up against a team whose play style was so diametrically opposed to their own.

The match was the next day, and it certainly met Relié's expectations in one way at least--that being that he never knew what was coming next. Les licornes were used to parking the bus, trying to get a goal or maybe two, and generally playing defensively. But the Hapiloppians played in the complete opposite style, constantly attacking up the field and usually not worrying too much about how well defended their own goal was. In fact, The Dogs committed to the attack so hard that they burst right through the usually-strong Reçuecian defense several times, managing to even take an early lead.

At half-time, Relié spoke to his boys. "We can't change the way they play, and we can't stop them from attacking. The only thing to do is give them a taste of their own medicine."

Relié made a few changes. He took of Cutrona and for the first time in a long time, Reçueçn played without four in the back. Bonheur put on more attackers--he opted for Béranger after his nice moment in the lost game against the Northern Oharan Valley Union.

The change made the difference. Reçueçn scored four goals in forty-five minutes in their highest-scoring game since before World Cup 95. Looking at the final result, Relié breathed a sigh of relief. One win wouldn't be enough to save his job, but at least it took off some of the pressure.

by **Drawkland** » Wed Sep 11, 2024 2:05 pm

Clarification

Drawkland is huge. There are many, many stadiums scattered across the land. From enormous coliseums to compact neighborhood venues, the art of the sports park is often celebrated across Drawkland. There is no single "national stadium," at least not one with an official designation.

The largest reason you can't define one national stadium is that there is no singular sport that's considered the "national sport," so you can't simply choose the biggest or best venue for that sport and call it a day. Gridiron football certainly pulls in the most revenue, but baseball, soccer, and basketball all have huge draws. Gridiron doesn't have a chokehold on the sports market except in a few select markets.

Since this is a soccer tournament, we'll keep this simple and just talk about soccer fields. Drawkland has been known to use the "qualifying tour" concept for home games, spreading home games across the continent to ensure fans in the different regions of the nation can enjoy watching the Kick Corps in person. Still, for some cycles and important games like playoffs, a pair of stadiums have been the main venues of use.

Also, we could talk about Seven Stars Stadium, but that's really only used for the biggest events. Hard to call it a national stadium when it's hardly ever played in.

Drawk City Stadium

The first stadium really used by the Kick Corps was Drawk City Stadium. Clocking in at 175,000 seats, this is Drawkland's second-largest stadium that receives consistent use. It's home of the Drawk City Troopers, the DLK franchise located in the city of the same name. Now, soccer is typically the second-fiddle sport compared to the other football, but the Troopers have packed the house since before DCS was built. Troopers ownership looked at season ticket commitments and fan surveys when they were looking to build a new venue, and realized they could reliably fill a stadium in the 150-170k range. At the time, DISC was also looking for a reliable modern stadium in Drawk City that didn't require making deals with the snooty Drawk Corps (owners of Corps Central Stadium, the largest venue in Drawk City).

The result was Drawk City Stadium, a huge venue built about 10 minutes by train away from the central urban cluster of Drawk City. Originally constructed in a horseshoe shape seating a little over 150 thousand, the most iconic feature was the sparkling white canopy constructed to cover a majority of the grandstands. After Troopers fans consistently sold out the venue, ownership expanded the open-ish end to fully enclose the stadium, bringing it to its current capacity of 175,000 (which can increase with a few standing room decks on the expansion end of the stadium.

When the Kick Corps made the jump to the World Cup, the centralized location and pre-existing soccer culture of Drawk City made Drawk City Stadium a no-brainer for the home venue. For the late 70s and early 80s cycles, Drawk City Stadium was the designated home ground for the Corps, and became associated with that run of dominance. Of course, the Elite Eleven came and ruined that vibe, but when the "real" Kick Corps returned, so did Drawk City Stadium receiving consistent play.

In 67 games played, Drawkland's Kick Corps is 44-16-7 at Drawk City Stadium.

Spartan Veteran Stadium

As most people know by now, the "old" Kick Corps was given the boot after several cycles of extremely disappointing play, replaced wholesale by the Elite Eleven. Not only was this bizarre as Drawkland was used to women playing soccer, but it was a noticeable change in the team culture. The Elite Eleven were "their own thing," and though they wore the Kick Corps uniform, they felt like a distinctly different kind of team.

The first order of business for the Elite was establishing a new home field. Allegedly there was some pushback from Drawk City Stadium's ownership group. Apparently a few members of the board were quite displeased with the whole "firing the girls and replacing them with those gimmicky boys" thing, and were attempting to throw a wrench in DISC's plans by refusing to approve Drawk City Stadium's hosting of Corps home games. The Elite Eleven were totally unfazed, and independently worked out a deal with the owners of Spartan Veteran Stadium in their hometown of Sadeg. They sent this approval to DISC, who shrugged and said "sure, fine, whatever, dude." For the next few cycles, Spartan Veteran Stadium was the exclusive home of the Elite Eleven's Kick Corps home games.

It was a very odd move. "The Vet" is a smaller venue, as it had to be squeezed into a particularly narrow stretch of land in downtown Sadeg, only seating a bit over 107k in a more classic bowl design. The stadium was home to the Spartans, a GLD franchise. The parcel of land was at the end of a huge plaza with several historical buildings and monuments. The most notable, of course, being The Spire. This huge obelisk-like monument to Drawkland's military veterans stands even with the stadium across the plaza, serving as a beautiful backdrop piece when watching games. Despite the "smaller" size, the bowl of The Vet was arranged in such a way that sound stays trapped in the bowl quite well, resulting in crazy loud crowds during games and concerts.

The biggest quirk was the fact that Sadeg itself had no soccer team at all. The soccer culture in Sadeg was pretty minimal, so lots of fans had to travel to Sadeg to watch Corps games. In this way, the smaller capacity probably helped the Elite save face. Still, for all their faults, the Elite Eleven did have some truly excellent qualifying campaigns during their tenure. Over the years, Sadeg's soccer culture grew, and the legend of The Vet as a soccer venue was established. Even when the Elite version of the Corps did the national qualifying tour for home games, they always held the home opener and closer in Sadeg. By the time the Elite were booted out, Sadeg had a budding soccer fanbase.

It was enough for Sadeg to pull in a franchise when DLK went through their rounds of expansion. Just in time for the Corps to no longer consistently play there, the all-new Sadeg Strikers franchise made old SVS their home. It's unknown whether the Strikers plan to build a new stadium in the future, but in the meantime they are quite at home at the Vet. Still, in a tribute to the budding culture and piece of Corps history in town, DISC now schedules one home game every cycle in Sadeg.

In 60 games played, Drawkland's Kick Corps is 36-12-12 at Spartan Veteran Stadium.

This includes an absolutely horrific final-matchday 5-5 draw with West Vdara that directly prevented Drawkland from qualifying outright for World Cup 97. Maybe if the Corps could've beaten West Vdara 5-3 on that day, Ellzidan would still securely have her job rather than being the managerial equivalent of a zombie stuck in the Cup of Harmony. Isn't fate funny?

by **Qusmo** » Wed Sep 11, 2024 3:00 pm

The North Xandrian.
Literature & culture with a Qusma slant.

The Tarp
HORON-LAPIJ UZO

It’s often said that horror reflects the anxieties of its time & culture. In that light, then, that Qusma writer Horon-Lapij Uzo’s story rapidly gained underground popularity following the Collapse seems no accident. Though bleak & brief, the now-self-exiled author put words to an unspeakable fear during the darkest days of the martial law imposed by the KMSQ.

Branches snapped with my every step, each reverberating through the forest like gunshots. But I couldn’t stop, couldn’t slow. The real gunshots were not far behind.

I went deeper & deeper, & the forest grew thicker. Branches reached out, roots sprung up, & it sounded as if my pursuers were making ground on me. I couldn’t outrun them. & if I did try to run, they’d hear where I was, with increasing accuracy.

Just then, I spotted a tarp. I raced over. This litter from someone’s camping vacation was my miracle. I would be saved. I madly scrambled dirt, leaves, & sticks to disguise it, so my pursuers wouldn’t spot my hiding place as easily as I had. I scurried underneath, & I waited.

Seconds turned into days, minutes into years. I tried my best to quiet my breathing. With each breath, I wondered how many more I’d be able to draw. Finally, they were here. Practically on top of me. But somehow, they seemed to pass over me. I had been spared. I heard their footsteps, once a thunder, grow more distant.

I was in a daze. In shock. What to do now? I knew not where I was, nor where I needed to go. If I left too early, I could be seen again. If I left too late, my pursuers could double back & search more carefully.

I called 999. Now, I needed help, in the most terrifying hour of my life. I had a respite, but I needed rescue.

I told them where I was, & the operator promised rescuers were racing to my location. After minutes which felt like eternities, I finally heard footsteps. But I wasn’t sure if they were my salvation or my damnation. I whispered into the line, as faintly as I could. With any luck, only the operator listening on the other end could hear me describe where to find me.

“Don’t worry. I’m on my way.” I heard the line click. The operator had hung up. Light flooded in as a figure lifted the tarp. I stared into the barrel of their gun. Their voice was the operator’s. “There you are.”

by **Riena** » Wed Sep 11, 2024 3:01 pm

The Riena Sentinel

Cup of Harmony 89: Riena 3-1 Savojarna
Wavelets upset Northlights to remain top of group three

Riena: Waraku (28'), Shishido (72'), Nagara (89')
Savojarna: Vingegaard (40')

Riena recorded a surprising second successive 3-1 victory against Savojarna on matchday 2 of the Cup of Harmony in Banija to surge three points clear of the chasing pack at the top of group three.

Having secured a fairly straightforward win against West Vdara last time out, Cocoa Haneda and her Wavelets were expected to face a much more difficult challenge in the form of Savojarna, the third-seeded side in the group. Nikolai Kruul Jensen's side had made light work of bottom seeds Yakk Empire in their first match of the Cup of Harmony with a Medberg Hansen brace, and looked like a potentially formidable opponent for Riena in the race to advance to the knockout stages. So it was perhaps natural that the Wavelets, with far less experience of international football under their belt, would be the underdogs going into this particular match. Haneda's comments before the match were reflective of her tendency to play down Riena's chances in such matches: "We've all seen how good Savojarna were against the Yakk Empire last time out, and they'll no doubt be a strong contender to advance from the group. For our part, we'll try our best to nullify their strengths. We'll obviously have to keep an eye on Rasmus Medberg Hansen, but there's a lot of talent and quality in that Savojarna squad, and we'll do well to get a positive result against them."

Haneda's words certainly rang true in the early stages of the match. Straight from the first whistle, it was quite clear that the Northlights had the upper hand, and they tried their best to convert their superiority into a tangible advantage on the scoreline. Kruul Jensen's side came incredibly close to drawing first blood in this encounter in the nineteenth minute when that man Medberg Hansen was slipped in behind the Riena defence by a penetrating Roman Sadianov pass, but Miku Suzutsuki quite literally rushed to the Wavelets' rescue, dashing from her area to put in a challenge on the Savojar forward and just about managing to scramble the ball clear of danger. It was a flashing warning sign for Riena — allow Medberg Hansen any sort of goalscoring opportunity at your peril.

But despite Savojarna's early dominance, it was Riena who managed to strike the first telling blow of the match a couple of minutes before the half hour mark through Yume Waraku. Much has been made of Riena's problematic right wing, and having played Iroha Shishido out of position on the flank in the opening game against West Vdara, from where she put in an excellent performance, Haneda had caused a bout of serial hang-wringing amongst the more flighty Riena fans by opting to play the mostly-untested Waraku there instead. Waraku, a specialist left winger who can also play on the right, repaid her manager's faith in her with the opening goal, her first ever strike for the national team. Usually a languid creative playmaker who thrives on setting up her teammates, Waraku showed a different dimension of her game here, displaying a deceptive turn of pace to outrun Hedvig Riksdal, get into the end of a long ball from Origami Sangomiya, and send a magnificent effort arcing into the top corner of Olga Valujev's goal. Savojarna were momentarily shaken, their momentum brought to a shuddering halt by that goal against the run of play, but quickly recovered their poise, and they came agonisingly close to levelling things up just three minutes later. Again it was Medberg Hansen who fired a warning shot over Riena's bow, getting ahead of Kanata Shikimori at a corner to squeeze in an effort that spun inches wide of Suzutsuki's left hand post. But for all Riena's stubborn resistance, Savojarna did find a way back into the game shortly before half time through midfielder Knud Vingegaard, who finished smartly past Suzutsuki after getting on the end of a reverse pass from Ruslan Novikov.

Although they had been pegged back minutes before half time, Riena were unfazed by the setback, and the Wavelets' confidence gradually grew as the game wore on — which was reflected in the quality of their approach play. Perhaps unsettled by their opponents' growing assertiveness, Savojarna began making uncharacteristically sloppy mistakes with the ball, losing possession cheaply through hospital passes and generally allowing Riena's midfield and attack the opportunity to press and play further up the pitch than they had in the first half. Emiri Nekoda, who had been reasonably well-marshalled by the Savojar defence in the opening forty-five minutes, nearly took advantage of this newfound freedom to score, whipping a curled finish against the base of Valujev's goal after Kristian Thelander failed to stop her from running onto an excellent Waraku pass. It seemed as though the pendulum was swinging decisively in Riena's favour, and so it proved in the sixty-sixth minute when Sadianov got stuck into an ill-advised challenge on Ichika Kirikaze as she threatened to break into space in the midfield. Sadianov, who had already been cautioned in the first half, perhaps did not expect further sanction for a relatively soft, if late tackle, but the referee did not share that view, and whipped out a second yellow card for the Savojar midfielder.

With Savojarna down to ten players on the pitch, Haneda threw caution to the wind and reconfigured her tactical system to press home Riena's advantage. Akari Kisaragi, who had been inverting into the base of the midfield to provide defensive solidity, was instead tasked with playing as an offensive left wing-back, with Nagara dropping slightly deeper to play as a single pivot to compensate. For his part, Kruul Jensen responded to Sadianov's sending off by removing winger Novikov for the defensive midfielder Anton Vitol and pushing My Mäkelä forward. But his efforts proved to be in vain as his rattled side committed yet another error just a few minutes afterwards to gift Riena the lead for the first time in the game. It was Jekaterina Ivanov who was at fault this time, the right back wildly out of step with the rest of her teammates and fouling up an attempt at an offside trap to allow Mercerian in behind the Savojar defensive line. Credit to Mercerian, though, who managed to get into the area, send Thelander the wrong way with a dip of the shoulder, and float the ball to the back stick, where Iroha Shishido was waiting to apply the finishing touch with aplomb.

Shishido's goal proved to be the decisive blow in the game — having gone behind, the Northlights' spirit and confidence was broken, and Kruul Jensen's side lost most of their earlier verve. They did have Riennese hearts in mouths for a second in the eighty-fifth minute, when My Mäkelä had a strike disallowed for a marginal offside, but Riena would eventually put the game to bed two minutes before full time through Kanna Nagara, whose rather tame daisy-cutter somehow squeezed past Valujev's unconvincing dive and nestled in the back of the net to make sure of the victory. This latest win for Haneda and her charges mean that Riena, the only unbeaten team in group three after two matchdays, are now in pole position to challenge for a spot in the knockout stages of this Cup of Harmony. With more difficult games against the likes of Drawkland and Oberour Ar Moro to come, however, only time will tell whether Riena can keep up their good early form in this Cup of Harmony.

Riena (4-3-3): Suzutsuki; Kisaragi, Shikimori, Skamandros, Sangomiya; Kirikaze, Nagara, Nakiri; Mercerian, Nekoda, Waraku
Substitutes: Kamikata, Hakura, Ishikari (84'), Mihane, Orihime, Frostfield, Kazamaki, Shirasu (79'), Moeta, Shishido (61')

Savojarna (3-4-3): Valujev; Riksdal, Röysveit, Thelander; Krogstrup, Sadianov, Vingegaard, Ivanov; Barisjnikov, Medberg Hansen, Novikov
Substitutes: Hilde, Magnusson, Leifsen, Pedersen, Tretjakov, Vantanen, Sigthorsson, Vitol (67'), Holtby (79'), Mäkelä (58')

by **Banija** » Wed Sep 11, 2024 3:04 pm

Hello folks! Welcome to the third cutoff for Cup of Harmony 89! Here is our cutoff song, featuring dear Officer Krupke.

Friendly reminder that tomorrow is a built-in off day for the schedule- ergo, there is approximately 48 hours until the cutoff for Matchday 4, instead of the standard 24.

RP Prompt: Back towards a nationbuilding prompt. Tell me about your nation's miltiary, and/or the history of war involving your nation. Is your nation's military large? Is it small? Is it considered a prestigious career path to join the military, or are soldiers looked down upon? How does your nation treat veterans- are they revered and also financially supported, or do people look at it like a normal career? Anything and everything military related, let the people know!

As for the history of war, fairly self-explanatory. Has your nation fought in any wars? Maybe civil wars or revolutionary wars on your current territory before your nation was founded? How do people talk about those wars these days- an exercise in glory, in hushed tones due to shame, or just nobody talks about them?

Maybe your nation has not fought in any wars, nor does it have a miltiary. How has your nation managed to stay peaceful for all this time?

Matchday 3 Scores

Group 1
Kanzlia 2–3 HOT-DAMN
North Oharan Valley Union 1–0 Audioslavia
Reçueçn 2–0 Patriotlandia

  Group 1                         Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 North Oharan Valley Union         3   2  0  1    3   2  +1    6
2 Reçueçn                           3   2  0  1    8   5  +3    6
3 Kanzlia                           3   2  0  1    7   5  +2    6
4 Audioslavia                       3   1  0  2    4   3  +1    3
5 Patriotlandia                     3   1  0  2    3   6  −3    3
6 HOT-DAMN                          3   1  0  2    7  11  −4    3

Group 2
Langenia 1–2 Kronbia
Indusse 2–1 Valentine Z
The Ko-orenite Constellation 3–2 Doubeia

  Group 2                         Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Kronbia                           3   2  1  0    6   4  +2    7
2 Indusse                           3   1  1  1    4   6  −2    4
3 Valentine Z                       3   1  1  1    7   6  +1    4
4 The Ko-orenite Constellation      3   1  1  1    5   5   0    4
5 Langenia                          3   1  0  2    5   7  −2    3
6 Doubeia                           3   1  0  2    7   6  +1    3

Group 3
Oberour Ar Moro 4–2 Savojarna
West Vdara 3–1 Yakk Empire
Riena 0–4 Drawkland

  Group 3                         Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Oberour Ar Moro                   3   2  0  1    7   5  +2    6
2 Drawkland                         3   2  0  1    9   4  +5    6
3 Riena                             3   2  0  1    6   6   0    6
4 Savojarna                         3   1  0  2    5   7  −2    3
  West Vdara                        3   1  0  2    7   9  −2    3
6 Yakk Empire                       3   1  0  2    4   7  −3    3

Group 4
Brusseldorf 0–2 Kamijiro
Captina Island 2–2 Alanis Star
HUElavia 4–0 Restresas

  Group 4                         Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Kamijiro                          3   3  0  0    4   0  +4    9
2 Brusseldorf                       3   2  0  1    6   6   0    6
3 HUElavia                          3   1  1  1    5   2  +3    4
4 Captina Island                    3   0  3  0    4   4   0    3
5 Alanis Star                       3   0  1  2    2   4  −2    1
6 Restresas                         3   0  1  2    5  10  −5    1

Group 5
Katzeburg 1–1 Hispinas
Xanneria 1–3 Qusmo
Sangti and the Filindo Isles 3–2 Darmen

  Group 5                         Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Sangti and the Filindo Isles      3   3  0  0    8   3  +5    9
2 Katzeburg                         3   2  1  0    6   4  +2    7
3 Hispinas                          3   1  1  1    5   3  +2    4
4 Qusmo                             3   1  0  2    5   7  −2    3
5 Xanneria                          3   1  0  2    4   8  −4    3
6 Darmen                            3   0  0  3    5   8  −3    0

by **HUElavia** » Wed Sep 11, 2024 6:46 pm

HUElavia 4–0 Restresas
(Canchon 8', Uchee 26', Milano 68', Narita 70') 
Albert III Memorial Stadium, Dodoma, Banija

FOUR THE GLORY OF HUELAVIA!

HUElavia prove their talent's worth with a fantastic beatdown over Restresas to stay alive in the Cup of Harmony!

After such a heartbreaking defeat from a valiant effort against Kamijiro, HUElavia came into Matchday 3 needing a win to keep their aspirations alive. One could say that The Jaguars, a recent nickname that is gaining traction domestically, were like cornered animals, needing to pounce on the opportunity to stay alive. Still with the main cast as brought out on Matchday 1, Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos were going to give it their all once more with a strong backing from HUElavians present to cheer on the team.

HUElavia was on the attack from the get-go, giving Restresas a tough time on the pitch with their precise passing and persistent attack. The opening goal would come in the 8th minute when Jacquet was being covered by Albu, who gave a pass to Milano who got in the box, and sent a pass to the other side of the box for Canchon to be left along to blast the shot past fingertips of George into the goal to make it 1-0, sending the HUElavian fans in the crowd to joy and jubilation while Canchon was hugged by her teammates for the goal. In the 26th minute, a throw-in was won where Milano threw to Oe, who gave a cross into the box, where George came out to get the ball, but Uchee won the ball and headed it into the goal, making it 2-0 in a bravado move that only a pure striker could do, in what saw the HUElavian crowd not only cheer, but make a grand applause and chant Uchee's name in celebration. Pablo would get the best chance for Restresas in the 43rd minute with a shot that made Ancel dive high to punch the ball out for a corner kick, which really seemed as if the ball would go into the goal. At the half, HUElavia had that comfortable 2-0 lead and still felt hungry for more.

HUElavia continued with their pressures here and there, but were more passing just to kill off the time and to rest the players a bit. Eventually, HUElavia would get their desired goals they wanted. In the 68th minute, a counter-attack started with Canchon dispossessing Lindsay to run at the defense, giving a pass to her right to Milano, who made Sanchez mistime their tackle, and to send a low, strong shot to hit the post and go into the goal, making it 3-0. Milano was on his knees cheering with joy while his teammates hugged him with delight in what was essentially the victory being clinched. In the 70th minute, a pass from Cocha would make it to a sprinting Oh, to go alone, only to pass to her right for Narita (in for Uchee) to slot it one-on-one past George into the goal, making it the definitive 4-0. While Restresas was trying to make something happen, the HUElavian defense stood strong and just was not having it against them. They held out and a massive victory improved the morale of the team as they took that crucial three points for Matchday 3.

HUElavia still sits in 3rd place, but has 4 Points to their name now, while Kamijiro beat out Brusseldorf 2-0 to have 9 points and 6 points respectively, and Captina Island along with Alanis Star had to settle for a 2-2 draw to have them with 3 points and 1 respectively (and Restresas sits in 6th with their 1 point but with a very rough goal difference). Coach Casillas was quoted as saying "We had a fantastic match from start to finish and it's matches like this that prove our strength to the Multiverse. The team is happy and they feel motivated to give it their all in the coming days against Alanis Star. We hope to continue improving and to give it our all for Matchday 4 and continue taking it a game at a time. After all, we still got another 180 minutes to go in this group stage and anything can happen." Fans meanwhile have enjoyed their time with the local Banijans, chanting songs, taking photos and playing some street football. Plus, much of the cuisine has been bringing intrigue to the visiting HUElavians, reminding the visiting fans a bit of the Ibo cuisine back in the Northwest of the country. Overall, it's moments like this that the fans enjoy traveling not just to support the team, but to also take in the different cultures and people throughout the multiverse. We got another game to look forward to and we can only hope for the best.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

by **Indusse** » Thu Sep 12, 2024 7:00 am

OOC: The Copyright message at the end of the post has been used from the standard copyright message from multiple books.

LexiRead™ > Web Edition
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The Half Blood Saga I
Chapter III
Unveiling Secrets
Previous Chapters:
Chapter I Part I
Chapter I Part II
Chapter II Part I
Chapter II Part II
Chapter III Part I

Azahl reached across the table, grabbing Adael's hand. "You have a choice to make, son. The blood of the chosen one runs in your veins. You can continue the quest your father began, or you can walk away from all of this."

Adael's mind was spinning. Everything he thought he knew about his life, his family, even his own identity, had been turned upside down. But amidst the confusion, he felt a spark of something else. It was the spark of Purpose, The Spark of Destiny.

"If I choose to continue the quest," he said slowly, "what does that mean?" His grandmother smiled sadly. "It means leaving everything you know behind. You've to train yourself, not just in Conseqh, but in the ancient arts of the Guardians. Facing dangers you can't even imagine."

"But it also means a chance to find your father," Mehrea added softly. "And to fulfill a legacy greater than you know." Adael closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opened them, there was a new determination in his gaze.

"I'll do it," he said firmly. "I'll find Jehnara. And I'll find my father." The room fell silent for a moment, then Azahl nodded. "Very well. We'll begin your training immediately. But first..." He stood and walked to a seemingly ordinary section of the wall. With a few precise movements, a hidden compartment slid open, revealing a weathered leather tube.

"This," Azahl said, slowly removing the tube, "is your birthright. The map to Jehnara." As Adael reached for the tube, a sudden commotion outside caught their attention. Shouts and the clash of metal echoed through the streets.

Miha fluttered nervously. "They're here! The men from the market!" Azahl's face hardened. "Mehrea, take Adael and the map. Use the tunnel beneath the house. Go to the old temple in the forest. You'll be safe there." "But Father-" Adael started to protest. "No time to argue," Azahl cut him off. "Go! I'll hold them off."

As Mehrea hurried Adael towards a hidden trapdoor, he caught one last glimpse of Azahl, the man who had raised him, drawing a sword Adael had never seen before.

The last thing Adael heard before descending into the darkness was Azahl's voice, filled with a power he'd never heard before: "Come then, seekers of Jehnara. Let's see if you're worthy of its secrets."

To be Continued...

Copyright © Akiho Banwari.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

http://www.lexiread.org

by **Doubeia** » Thu Sep 12, 2024 7:56 am

Shenanigans at the Women's National Team: Part 2
Card games gone wrong

Context
Savanna Miloradova was hot, and she was hot-headed too.

The game against Indusse was going swimmingly well. The Indigo Army had built up a 3-0 lead thanks to some summer magic from Summer Semerikova, and as the game headed into its 80th minute, things were looking very good for the team.

Until, of course, Savanna decided to tackle the ball. She spotted Mahadev Bhattacharya starting a run. She quickly caught up to him in no time, but that was only half the work done. She stuck out her foot to nick the ball out of Bhattacharya's legs, but her feet never felt the thud of the ball being kicked away. Instead, when she planted her foot down, it didn't touch the ground.

Bhattacharya immediately went down, grabbing his foot. It took Savanna a while to process the situation before she started to freak out. No, she didn't foul him; it was just an accident. His foot was coincidentally there. She didn't mean to stomp on it!

Savanna knew she was doomed. She'd already picked up another yellow card earlier, and if the referee was feeling ruthless she was going to see red. She could see everyone jogging to where she was, including the referee. No, it wasn't a foul, it wasn't! She walked up to Bhattacharya who was still writhing on the ground.

"Get up bro, it wasn't even that bad," she told him. He remained where he was. Savanna was starting to feel vexed. She couldn't be carded, not when Doubeia wasn't guaranteed the knockouts. Why wasn't this guy getting up? Turning around, she saw the referee walking up to her. She took the chance to make her case.

"It's not a foul, it was just unlucky. Ref, you gotta hear me out," she begged.

"You fouled him, it's a foul," an Indussean player spoke up from behind her.

"Shut up!" she barked back. Savanna could see the referee reaching for his pockets. Savanna's pleas went in one ear and exited the other. His stone cold expression said all Savanna needed to know: he wasn't giving her a chance.

"Wait, what the fuck!" Savanna couldn't believe it. She could see hints of red and yellow in the referee's hands, but she wasn't going to give up. As the referee was about to show her the second yellow, Savanna snatched the cards away from the referee. The stadium immediately burst in confusement and excitement. Doubeinese and Indussean fans alike were gawking at the scene, some in shock and some in amazement. It wasn't every day you saw someone blatantly defy the referee like that after all.

With the referee's power now in her hands, Savanna just knew what to do with her newly gained powers. She jogged up to Bhattacharya, who'd just gotten up, and showed him the red card. He looked confused, oblivious as to what was happening. Immediately she could feel someone tug at her shoulder, while someone else wrestled with her arms for the cards.

"Sav, just give back the cards," Bridgett ordered. Savanna knew that not following the captain's order would result in certain death, but she couldn't let go of this opportunity. She turned around, spotted the referee and carded him as well. Savanna had become the center of attention, and the center of chaos in the stadium. She could hear her teammates argue with the Indussean players, and from the corner of the eye, she could see the referee trying to calm everyone down. She had created a situation.

Just as Savanna started to get a bit carried away, she was caught unaware as the cards were snatched from her hands. She turned to look at the person who'd stolen her authority, expecting it to be the Indussean captain or the referee. She then locked eyes with Bridgett. Bridgett's scathing, furious eyes. Savanna gulped. She fucked up.

The situation resolved itself just as quickly as it had started. The referee eventually gave Savanna her marching orders, and as she walked out of the pitch she could already feel the disapproving glares of both Bridgett and coach Markova. She was doomed, wasn't she?

As she walked into the tunnel, Savanna was greeted by an unexpected surprise: some of the fans were clapping for her. She didn't know whether it was out of sarcasm or respect, but hearing the applause just made her that much more proud of herself...

"I don't have time for this": Miloradova banished from team in addition to match ban

ISTRIA, BANIJA — Women's National Team manager Yuni Markova has publicly banished Savanna Miloradova from the team following the bizarre incident that took place during the Indigo Army's match against Indusse.

After fouling Mahadev Bhattacharya in the 80th minute, when approached by the referee, Miloradova stole the referee's cards and started to card other players, as well as the referee. A scuffled ensued between the Indussean and Doubeinese players, before the situation resolved when the cards were returned to the referee. Milroadova was eventually given her second yellow card and was sent off.

After the match, Markova had some scathing remarks for the midfielder.

"Absolutely childish from her. Not what I wanted to see from one of my own players. Maybe it's just the heat of the moment getting to me but I don't want to see her with the team. I won't stand for this behvaiour," she said during the post-match conference.

Doubeinese social media has been ablaze regarding the matter, with some criticising Miloradova for her immaturity, while others praised her for taking the opportunity.

The Women's National Team will face The Ko-orenite Constellation next in the group stage of the 89th Cup of Harmony.

by **Patriotlandia** » Thu Sep 12, 2024 9:38 am

The two seater jet was soaring over the fields of southern Patriotlandia. A trainee and his instructor begin with the day's mission. "First we will go down to 1000 feet and take bearing 105 and head over the water. You will have to identify and engage four targets". The nerves were high. The trainee had been in the pilot seat for a few sorties before doing maneuvers and reconnaissance but this would be his first time using live ammunition. He had completed his four month mandatory service helping out in hangars but decided to take the plunge into full time enlistment. He managed to qualify for flight school and now, at the helm of his P7 Kestrel, had his finger hovering over the "BRRRRRRRRRR" button.

The plane is no fifth or sixth gen fighter, but it is the nation's first attack aircraft. Also doubling as a subsonic trainer jet, the Kestrel can be setup for a variety of fire missions. The point of focus, however, is the 30 mm cannon mounted on the front nose.

The first target appeared shortly after crossing over the Bastille waters. A bright red buoy was floating beside the remnants of an old sunken boat. "Alright cadet, line it up and make a diving pass. Just like we practiced", said the officer in the rear seat. As soon as he got the command, the plane dove towards the target and the burst from the machine gun was soon followed by the echos of impacts. "HIT! Move on to the next one". The next targets all went just as well but when the trainee pulled off of the last target the plane came face to face with an enormous storm front. A dark wall of clouds and thunder stretched across the horizon. "I haven't seen a storm like that in years. We need to head back to base. And quickly", nervously said the officer.

by **Alanis Star** » Thu Sep 12, 2024 2:31 pm

Part 1 – A Thousand Steps.

Brooklyn M. Arienne Jade Hariwana Hopkins’s feet were sore from the matchups. It was not so much that she was tired of the matches themselves; rather, the fact that they have suffered two losses since their debut into the first Cup of Harmony. “Granted, it’s just the first,” she remarked, “But you know, a win now and then would have been nice.” Brooklyn was accompanied by the usual group of Diodes, at least the ones that decided to come for this hike that they decided to continue from their previous point. Janice "Athlete Mk. 13" Toyoko Ishikawa served as a guide and a navigator in case they lost their bearings as a last resort, along with Stella Silesius D. Concetta Iannaccone, Asa Braxton Luca T. Hall Su Hyun-Woo, Rangi James E. Alexander Grace Smith, Ruby Diana Candela V. Feijoo Sagredo, Reiner Maxine Belay Trần W. Van der Sandt. The rest of the Diodes figured that they did not have the energy – both physical and emotional – to hike at that moment, for even the Valentians do get a little tired of that. On top of that, the first trip that they went together as a team saw them making as far as 55 kilometers, a distance that would see them looking at all sorts of the beauty and nature that was in-turn complemented (not clashing) by the urban developments that has already happened pretty quickly around this very Esportivan territory of Alanis Star.

“All right, maybe we can go for 20 kilometers this time, since, well, we gotta rest up and these match days are happening pretty darn regularly now,” Reiner suggested, to which everyone else agreed. The seven of them plotted the paths and trails that they wanted to take and then set off. The first few kilometers of the trail saw them climbing up flights upon flights of stairs, to which Ruby made a lighthearted claim, “Jeez guys, we doing this because we’ve been running around the level playing fields?” With a few more laughs, along with sharing more about each others’ lives and aspirations as to what they wanted to do [more will come about their lives, eventually!], the seven Diode Valentians made their way around the hiking trail, with Janice making sure that everyone was well-hydrated for it was a relatively warm and humid day. Brooklyn suffered the worst, making sure to flick any visible signs of sweat from her body in order to make sure that her prized possession – a state-of-the-art Hyperzicht DSLR, didn’t get sweat on it. “Should be fine, these things are built like tanks, ain’t it? You can dunk it in water afterwards.” “Yeah, it’s true but I would rather that lens be clear when we take those shots, you know?” “Fair point!” As they talked and chattered while making their way slowly, they finally hit some level ground with seemingly the end of the stairs – at least the ones that go up. “Whew, thank Fate,” Asa sighed, having sucked up the last of his water from his bag, “Should have topped up my bag before that.” Janice chimed in that they are nearly there, with a canopy and walkway of trees from the undeveloped parts of the paths shielding them from the baking sun at that timing. They shook off their legs and walked slowly, Brooklyn seizing every opportunity of a potential picturesque moment of the trails.

“Weeeew… it’s beautiful, ain’t it?” Stella chipped in as she grabbed some light snacks from her backpack. The seven of them were currently 400 meters above the sea level, and from there, the view was no longer obstructed. Sure, the sun was beating down on them and for most of the time, it felt like they were getting cooked even in their light and breathable clothing. “Should have brought that neckfan,” Rangi stated, “But this will also do, thanks Janice!” Brooklyn got to work with her camera as she took in the view. The sun was not that big of a deal once one saw the majestic harmony of nature and urban development of Alanis Star and by extension, of Valentine Z. “Heyyy, I think I can see my house from here!” Asa exclaimed, much to the lighthearted laughters and eyerolls from the others. “Well, this is definitely worth it. What a view, man.” The hike was, for intents and purposes, to bond the team together and as a form of exercise. Granted, the team already more or less knew each other at this point, coupled with the typical Valentian friendliness that they all have. On top of that, the exercise was also more than enough from the daily matches, so much so that they barely have the time to do practices. Despite this, they decided that a little walk in the park (and the forested trails) could cheer them all up, to wake up early and to go around these places as they have the casual chat, away from the usual talk about strategies and how to get those goal kicks against the opponents. “It’s a good change of pace,” Janice also remarked, putting a hand on Stella’s shoulder as the seven of them looked at the view. Along the way, it would be no surprise that Valentians (and non-Valentians) caught sight of them and wanted a couple of photos with the group. With energy and cheerfulness, they welcomed the photos, though lightheartedly warned not to get close to them. “You are gonna be soaked in the sweat and… I mean, I don’t think Valentians are the kind to want the sweat of a sports star… right?” Stella joked, much to laughter from all.

[OOC: Both photos are from my own hiking adventures in Singapore. … Might put up some shots from Japan one day.]

by **Valentine Z** » Thu Sep 12, 2024 2:49 pm

Part 1 – Desperate Measures.

We all saw it, and it was not so much that we were all hallucinating. At least, I don’t think so- I am not even sure if those are reliable at this point. Anyway, checking the security cameras showed that TX-1’s hand has moved just a little bit. To anyone else, and even for us, we would not have noticed. However, looking at the footage itself would reveal that yes, her hand moved. I am unsure as to how and well, we are no stranger to it at this point, right? With every waking day and sleeping night, I hoped and prayed to goodness that it was just a coincidence, but how much of a coincidence to see a digital version of a stack of cards being thrown into the air and all of them landing nicely together in some order? While it’s not founded upon or that we have evidence for it, I suspect that TX-1 was the one doing all this. I mean, none of this happened before she was here, right? I- along with the rest of the colleagues, are unsure as to what is happening, and nothing we try to extract or get is yielding any results. You know your research is going so well when everyone involved in it is obsessed with a simple hand movement, and it’s just a small movement. In a way, she also looked so peaceful, oblivious to her surroundings – at least, that is what she wanted us to think. I could only hazard a guess that she was doing this in her head, or something- I really don’t know, ok?

I’m sorry, that sounded rather unscientific, and perhaps even more of a rambling of a madman (or madwoman, not just me here that were saying the same). We have not gotten anywhere, and I am not sure how safe will it be to keep this 100-meter tall giantess under wraps. Someone is going to talk one day- heck, I am already writing this down in my diary, so I am not one to talk. Where was I? Someone is going to let it out one day, and the implications will be… unthought of, incomprehensible. What would you even think and consider of this? A large woman, not talking and moving at all, somehow was able to bend the laws of probability and even the computers by some unseen force (it HAS to be from her), and that we cannot draw any blood from her? It would not just be a subject of several little conspiracies that we can all easily dismiss by science. No, it is something even science has no bloody clue on. For all we know, it could be just one of the many denizens from another world… maybe even their leader. So why is TX-1 here? Why is she just sitting there doing nothing (at least from our own eyes and observation) and then pretend as if nothing is happening? So many questions- I keep using the same phrase. We really have no idea what we are looking at. It’s like a caveman looking at a warp drive. Our normal observations are not working as of now.

I am going to try something a little drastic, and of course, I will need to propose this to the others, ease them into the plan. The wrist-mounted device on her arm – there must be a way to unlock that. We will try to tamper with the wrist device on her first and if that does not work (probably won’t). Then we will pry her armor out. TX-1 is hiding something, and we must know what. I have already requested for some heavy-duty machinery to be brought into our labs, and I’ll probably get admonished for that, but all that write-up will mean nothing in the grand scheme of things if we can unlock her very, very nature. The breastplate will give us the most trouble, I assume, it’s locked up pretty tightly and all our preliminary attempts fell short. The rest of the suit that she was wearing is not to be underestimated either, for we cannot even tear a small piece of it to sample it in the labs. What are you hiding, TX-1?

[OOC: Sorry this is a little short.]

by **Captina Island** » Thu Sep 12, 2024 11:15 pm

Captina still searching for victory
The Captina Company Press Association

The Captina Company National Team played to third straight draw in the Cup of Harmony in Banija, 2-2 versus Alanis Star at the Albert III Stadium in Dodoma.

The result leaves the Rosso e Oro in fourth place in the group on 3 points with the final two matches against the top two in the standings, Brusseldorf and Kamijiro.

The scene shifts to Istria for the final two fixtures, with Captina and Brusseldorf meeting at the Olympic Stadium with the Rosso just three points behind their opponent, which suffered a 2-0 defeat to undefeated table toppers Kamijiro; if Captina is to have any hope of advancing, a win in this fixture is imperative.

_______________________________________________

Captina Island is known as The Armed Republic for good reason with the largest percentage of its citizens on call for military duty than any nation in the multiverse, approximately 31% (1.95 million). Military service is mandatory for all able bodied citizens between 18-40 years of age under the structure of The Captina Island National Community Operation Master Plan [CINCOMP].

The Captina National Organization (CNO) is in charge of military defense on Captina Island along with education and healthcare, organizing July & August military training drills; three 4 week periods are used to stagger the amount of the population away from their regular jobs at any one time. Some exceptions are made for certain important vocations as well as the members of the Polizia Nazione (PN), while there is also a small number of full time career military personnel to ensure continuity.

The CNO Defense Forces (CNODF) is a unified military command, with small naval and airborne units in addition to the regular army; the primary focus is on defense of the island from attackers rather than offensive operations, therefore training centers around repelling amphibious attacks, urban warfare and fighting in hilly, forested and jungle environments.

CNODF has never been called upon for action in its history, owing largely to the remoteness of the nation within Rushmore and absence of nearby neighbors save for Real San Vegas. Our strength is based on deterrence and preparation; it's estimated that 40% mobilization could be completed within 18 hours, 70% in 36 hours and full mobilization in just under 60 hours.

by **North Oharan Valley Union** » Fri Sep 13, 2024 1:08 am

Timestamp: 13 September 2024 - 9h08
Tags: Football, Cup of Harmony 89, Green Lions

Shots Fired by Metakvili
Youngster catches the eye with thunderous shot and passionate plea

The crowd in Aissa had expectations as the Bulls came to visit. The Audioslavians consider themselves to be wandering about at the fringes of international football, but if their 24th spot on the rankings showed that then the Green Lions are lost in the depths of the ocean in comparison. It could be a great night out for the fans who braced themselves for a display of something that was not quite like football, but still enjoyable if you are the kind of person who watches grainy videos of free fights or car racing for the crashes. For those bothering about the Union, the main question was how Serhey Baltuk would respond to it. His internal drive was to bring straightforward football, not naive but not too defensive. But the greatest successes, especially against stronger teams, had come from leaning back a little and trying to look confident. However, copying the stance from the opponent tonight could lead to the ball lying in the middle of the pitch, untouched, for long stretches of the evening. What Baltuk did do was enlisting his more ‘masculine’ players in Zakoyan, Cekunovs, Karapetyan and Dombrovskis. If Audioslavia wanted to take this game to the trenches, Baltuk would bring his fiercest soldiers.

The results was… Exactly what had been anticipated. One attempt on goal in the first half (a shot from Brandon Bruhn stopped by Ornest Zornakyan) and five yellow cards from a referee who seemed to be the only person on the pitch interested in playing actual football. With that in mind, it was bizarre he had not yet sent off Alex Bocker and Deivs Dombrovskis, who had twice been nose-to-nose and once involved in something that could have earned a bronze if performed in the Hamilton Convention Centre. If the prime focus of both sides is to annoy the other one, it is easy to forget about the target of the match. The Union had done its bit in that effort as well, having recorded a grand total of zero shots before the break. The same seemed to manifest itself after the break with two sides trying to counterattack against an opponent that kept nine players behind the ball. It was not a success. And so, when in minute seventy, a ball got loose about halfway the opposing half, Yaro Metakvili put his size ten against it with more frustration than skill. The young, civilized and technically clean midfielder had replaced Karapetyan seconds before his second yellow and had since been scythed twice. If he was fully honest, his prime target was to hit one of the culprits straight in the nuts.

What he did, however, was curl it in such a way that Hein Hélder remained nailed to the ground, only hearing a ‘toing’ and a ‘whizz’ as the ball hit the inside of the post and rattled the nets behind him. Everyone expected a coordinated attack now from the Audioslavians: losing is one thing but losing against a nation whose rank required more fingers than your starting line-up possessed (even one not marred by poor woodcraft skills) usually leads to an all out offensive. Yes, there were efforts on goal and at times they got all the alarm bells ringing. But Lauris Cekunovs and Hovnatan Zakoyan took turns in planting their studs in the side of Lúnquerque and as the ref had to check for eight fouls committed at the same time, he missed quite a few of those. The tendency of the Bulls to mob the referee time and time again also worked against them, as a few clear mistakes were only waved away to spite them, including a clear tackle inside the box from Arnesen. But as time went on, the ‘football’ got even more chaotic and nothing came to it in the end but a few red cards.

No wonder that Yaro Metakvili, sole scorer in a victorious cup match, got the floor in the post-match interviews. Remarkably, he did not use that to share the usual oneliners. His interviewer had prepared for a bit of “We are really happy with the result, but we need to play the next two games as if they are finals as well.” and some ”It is great to score, but I should thank my teammates as they were amazing”. At a stretch, he had braced for ”We could have played better tonight, but three points are three points.”. What he had not anticipated was an animated monologue about the poor state of our current military force.

Bohdan Metakvili, the older brother of the matchwinner, is a member of the Cherpahorian army. Or should we say, the former-Cherpahorian-army-that-are-now-on-the-brink-of-being-integrated (pause, catch breath) into-the-north-oharese-armed-forces. Problem is that said integration already takes over half a year and nothing has been accomplished yet. The procedure to announce a Major General and first in command, a symbolic appointment to achieve an actual united army, has been postponed numerous times already. As such, the various forces of the seven regions are hanging in some sort of intermediate state: at the one hand, their old regional government no longer can put any resources into them. But the central state keeps on pushing off investments as long as the new organization is not approved and in the works. This way, tens of thousands of young soldiers are currently hanging around at their bases, awaiting tasks that no longer come. The first incidents with bored privates, annoying their superiors and the public with deviant behavior, have been reported. In the meanwhile, secessionist forces in Ilqitobe and Gledeiradh are managed poorly, causing upheaval while the army stands by in the absence of clear orders.

The framework for the army has been written already quite some time ago. A smaller but modernized force with about thirty thousand personnel, split up in an Air Force, Land Force and Support Force. The components themselves would have a mixed composition with soldiers from the various regions but specialized teams (such as bomb detection, telecommunications or intelligence units) can be integrated as a whole if their value can be demonstrated. But the details remain hazy and the political courage is missing to actually achieve something. And so, time ticks on, soldiers start to worry when their pay check no longer will appear and incidents start to fester. It is worrisome that a twenty-year old footballer needs to take out the soapbox to get something moving, but apparently that is the state of Oharese politics.

It was a good thing for Prime Minister Kavorkian that he left Banija after the opening game and returned to his office in Vilarme, avoiding personal blame for what is a debacle in the making. Following the plea from Metakvili, Kavorkian swiftly decided to relieve the sitting Minister of Defence from his duties. But that his replacement is not chosen yet seems to point to a step back rather than a step forward. And so, the Green Lions once again do a lot better than all other institutes of our fresh faced and fragile country: with this surprise victory, they look competent and top the group after facing the top three seeds. An unanticipated success, the kind our military personnel could use.

by **Recuecn** » Fri Sep 13, 2024 3:09 am

A little bit about Reçueçn's military, in narrative form.

background mood music

0320h, zone victoire, exercice « aigle royal »

Through the night-vision setting on the thermal camera, the forest still looked green. Observateur d'Appui Aérien Rapproché (OAAR) Defossez shifted through the settings on the camera. He and the device both lay flat on the ground, a camouflage net disguising their silhouette to blend in atop a shrubby peak. The thermal camera looked more like a telescope than a camera, long and cumbersome, with myriad electronic controls that it had taken OAAR Defossez months to learn.

The valley below him looked brighter through the night-vision lens, but still flat and devoid of any point of interest. Defossez finally clicked into thermal imaging mode, and the mountainside across from him came to life in black and white, the heatmap easily revealing every terrain feature hidden behind the vegetation. A row of black dots was clearly identifiable as his targets.

Defossez checked the telemetry on the laser rangefinder. The far side of the valley was just shy of five kilometers away. The black dots were probably about 50 meters apart. Surely these were the dummy anti-air installations that were the target for the training exercise. He zoomed in further, holding his breath to not shake the camera.

The observer was so focused on his task that he didn't even hear the approaching footsteps over the wind up here in the alpine peaks. Another figure ran toward him, stooping low, his pack and gear making an even stranger silhouette on the ridgeline. The figure dodged through the brush, weaving his way rapidly toward Defossez, and was right on top of him before he even had time to react. The newcomer threw himself to the ground at Defossez's side, jostling the thermal camera.

"Tu fais chier, putain!"

"Désolé, chef!"

Defossez pulled his head back from the camera and looked at his subordinate who'd joined him. They made quite the pair. In the dark, they could hardly see each other, even lying prone right next to each other. The dark streaks of paint on their faces mirrored the dark clouds that lay in streaks across the night sky above.

"Is équipe bêta in position?"

"Oui, chef."

"Ok good. Call in the birds."

Theuriau, the caporal, slung his pack sideways off his back onto the ground and slid out the radio.

"Volée d'aigles, we're ready for you."

The radio crackled to life.

"Ready to check-in."

"Proceed with check-in."

"Volée d'aigles is 3x Magnier 1975s. 6 guns. 6x MAS."

"Roger... uh, wait one."

"Roger, standing by."

Theuriau turned to Defossez. "You have the AAR briefing ready, chef?"

"Yeah. Here, let me."

The caporal handed the transmitter to the sergent-chef. "Volée d'aigles, this is Ground 2."

"Go ahead ground two."

"Standby for OAAR report, inform when ready to receive."

There was a brief pause.

"Ready to receive AAR brief."

"Okay. Mission type 2. PE Alpha. Heading 130, left offset. Distance 8600 meters. Elevation 1100 meters. 4 VG's in a row over 200 meters. Location grid reference seven three two, one oh four. Target mark IR laser on the first VG from your heading. Drop an MAS or two if you could. Friendlies four kilometers northwest, 2x OAAR. Egress southwest and standby PE Bravo for possible reattack. You got all that?"

"Roger. Sixty seconds out."

The radio fell silent. Defossez and Theuriau lay on their bellies, the cold alpine wind whipping over their backs and about their ears. The far side of the valley seemed darker than ever.

"Ground two, Volée d'aigles with a lock on the target. Requesting cleared hot."

Defossez had been waiting with his thumb on the transmitter, and his response was immediate.

"You are cleared hot."

The wind on the mountain peak grew into a thundering roar. Three sleek Magnier attack jets tore across the sky, erupting out from the darkness behind Defossez. They moved low over the mountain summit, hugging the terrain. Defossez glanced up and the flying black shadows felt so close he ducked instinctively, hugging the earth tighter.

As the jets soared out over the valley, another sound rose over the thrum of their engines. A short, staccato humming. Defossez smiled. It was a sound any AAR observer loved. Not as loud and showy as those American jets, but a modest, unassuming burst of percussion as the cannons on the Magniers opened up. Then, delayed by several seconds, the sound of the impact, but this time resonating with the sound of a distant explosion. The MASs had hit.

Two pricks of light shone out briefly on the distant mountainside. Through the thermal camera, two pitch-black blossoms unfurled on target, the heat of the explosions maxing out the thermal imaging spectrum. Theuriau had pulled out a pair of his own binos.

"Looks good. That's two hits."

Defossez wasn't satisfied. The jets were already soaring away down the valley, but he jumped back on the radio. "Volée d'Aigles, two good hits, but no contact on the last two VG's. I'll readjust the IR laser and standby at PE Bravo for immediate reattack on my signal."

The observers heard the pilot begin to respond, but whatever he was about to say was drowned out by a separate, different transmission. Defossez groaned as he recognized the sharp German accent of the exercise leader. The commandant spoke in French--although Reçueçn was a multilingual nation, military communication was all mandated to be in French for reasons of standardization and clear, concise communication. "Volée d'Aigles one-three. Simulated AA has got a lock. Consider yourself 'shot down'. Please return to base, your exercise is over."

"Fuck, fuck fuck." Theuriau swore silently as Defossez fiddled with the targeting IR laser.

"Okay, Volée d'aigles, status report?"

"Volée d'aigles one-one and one-two still standing by."

"Great. IR laser is set. Same target. Approach heading 0 to 40. Egress northwest to PE Alpha. Cleared hot."

The jets came soaring back. Defossez could hardly seem them, flying low through the valley, but as the bursts of gunfire rang out again, he could see two dark shapes blotting out the stars and growing closer as they swung out over the targets and toward the two observers.

Theuriau peered through his binos. The last two véhicules grenadiers were gone.

"Volée d'aigles, good effect on target. Standby for BDA."

The commandants curt voice rang out from the radio again. "Great job pilots, great job ground two and ground one. This concludes this portion of the exercise. Please rendezvous as briefed for the next phase."

Defossez was already packing up the thermal camera. Theuriau knelt, folding up the camo netting. "That went okay, I thought," he said.

"If we lost a jet in a real operation, command would have our heads," said Defossez.

"That wasn't your fault, chef. There wasn't a better approach."

"Egress down the valley was a death trap," said Defossez. "I should have requested four MASs to solve the problem on the first pass."

The pair was running now, jogging under the weight of their gear and trying to hold their balance as they began to descend, heading down the back of the mountain, away from the target.

"Anyway, it's just an exercise," said Theriau. "Seems like a lot of money for them to spend when half the OAARs won't be here in two years." Reçueçn's army still mandated a two-year service period for young men. There were a million ways to get out of it (chiefly through university enrollment), and finding a way to avoid time in the military was not looked down on--the nation needed more than just soldiers, after all. But the conscripts made up a large portion of the nation's small military at any given time.

Defossez, who'd been a professional soldier for almost a decade now, often forgot how differently the conscripts approached everything. Sure, they were disciplined and respectful, but often, like now, it seemed that they couldn't see the bigger picture. They were just there for two years and that was all they needed.

"Those pilots aren't going anywhere though," Defossez countered. "And they need to know what it's like, coordinating with an army that has such high turnover. And the organizational training is essential."

"Yeah, okay, I can't argue with you professionels, chef." Theuriau, running in the front, glanced back over his shoulder. The ridge was away behind and above them now, far enough that he felt safe to be a little more obvious.

The caporal switched on his flashlight and the pair followed its beam down the side of the mountain, into the dark forest.

by **Katzeburg** » Fri Sep 13, 2024 3:52 am

Anton Waldo was gulping down his beer quicker than normal. He was nervous, not least because he hasn’t had a single coffee since touching down in Banija. Across from him at a small table were Greyson and Mathias, who were going to town on their meals, a large, hearty portion of chicken that they purchased from a small vendor down the road from the Stadium of the Restoration.

He was nervous about the logistics of how the hell they were going to pull this off. They were going to break into the Katzeburg team hotel and work their way into becoming the fan club with core access to the players - finally meeting Drake Wruck and maybe giving Owen Levitt a well-earned hug before the national captain called it quits.

But how would they get in? Anton finished his beer and returned to his notes - scrawled across a number of bar napkins all with varying degrees of dampness from the drinks that had been spilt onto them.

Pretend to be a replacement player, said one note. Fake being from KBC and request media access? Said another. Ask very, very nicely, said one more.

Anton flicked through them all, looking for something of coherence which he could use.

Try and book out a room next to the team and run into them by chance. Challenge the team to a drinking contest? Buy a large cat puppet.

He looked at his work, the product of a drunken session with a couple of fans who were more focused on the food they could find than the grand plans they had to build the fan club, and sighed. Anton had nothing.

“What do you guys think?” he finally said at last. “We’ve got some alright ideas, but nothing seems to be sticking for me.”

“Why are we doing this again?” Mathias asked through mouthfuls of chicken.

“Because! If we get access to the team, we’ll be a leg up on any club in the country - we can then use that exclusive access to build the group further. It’s the dream!”

“It’s your dream,” said Greyson, before taking a large sip from his beer. “I’m fine with the group being close-knit. We get to know each other better.”

“We don’t even do that now and there’s only a handful of us!” Anton protested. “On my friendship chart, you guys aren’t even above the colleague level yet - we don’t even know each other’s birthdays!”

Greyson shrugged. “Is that really important? We all like football, that’s the main thing.”

“But think of how much more we’d love the sport if we could be there with the team, through all the highs and lows!”

“Like, by watching them on TV?” Mathias asked.

“No, by being in that room at that moment. We can do this, we just need to figure out how!”

“And what are you suggesting then?”

Anton dropped his head. All his ideas were hopeless - none of them would really work in practice.

“Just, give me some time, I’ll think of something,” he said, brushing his napkins away to try and wipe his slate clean.

As he took one last look at the last half-hour of his life starting to flap away in the wind, he cast his eyes over one of the napkins which had caught itself on a slight crack in the table - Hide in the team bus with the luggage.

Anton’s eyes opened wide - He had it.

Katzeburg 1 - 1 Hispinas
(Spears 17’ // Solorzano 10’)

Possession - 56% // 44%
Shots on Target - 3 // 8
Shots - 5 // 11
Fouls - 16 // 8

1 Whinery, 2 Howland, 15 Clarkson (Levitt 65’), 4 Knepp, 5 Colbert, 6 Plank, 7 Horsfall, 18 Arkwright (Cummings 65’), 19 Spears, 10 Wruck, 11 Niles (Johns 65’)

Player of the Match - Whinery (KAT)

Blue Cats stumble after laboring to draw against Hispinas

Katzeburg have failed to match the pace of the leaders in their Cup of Harmony group after struggling against a Hispinas side which came dangerously close to stealing all three points at BCEL Stadium in Jinja City.

Hispinas, who had been in decent form so far after picking up a thumping 4-1 win over Qusmo on the opening matchday, started the stronger of the two sides - with Arcelia Solorzano opening the scoring for the 134th-ranked side 10 minutes in after breaking past a defence of Deena Knepp and Erik Clarkson who were caught napping.

Katzeburg would find an equaliser seven minutes later through young midfield star Elmer Spears - with the Axmund City player showing some incredible individual brilliance to knock down a high ball from Katharine Howland, pirouette past Nazario Mojica in the Hispinas midfield, and fire a rocketing effort from range past Azkar Baraibar in goal.

However, despite the early theatrics neither side was able to truly push on and dominate the game - Katzeburg had the most of possession which was a rare sight for them this tourney so far, but failed to create meaningful chances with the ball - with a soft header wide of the post from substitute Jaxxon Johns in the 72nd minute the only real chance Katzeburg had after the opening exchanges.

Hispinas meanwhile, made the most of their underdog positioning, producing counter-attack after counter-attack which left the Katzeburgian defence in a tail-spin, with keeper Ry Whinery called in numerous times to break down some fast break chances.

The Rushmori side would come dangerously close to snatching the win late on thanks to a brilliant through ball from Mojica which broke past the backline and found Solorzano in a tight 1-on-1 with Whinery. Solorzano twisted and turned trying to get around the Katzestadt AFC keeper, but was defeated by a slight brush off her glove which was able to send the effort just around the post and secure a vital point for Katzeburg.

The result sees the side sit in second place in Group 5, now two points behind leaders Santi and the Filindo Isles, who they face on the final matchday. Next up will be a clash against the highest ranked side in the group in Xanneria - who have had a slow start to their Cup of Harmony campaign with just a single win to date.

A win will guarantee the Blue Cats a spot in the knockout rounds, while a draw could see them through as well depending on other results.

Manager Becka Haberkorn was optimistic about the side’s chances to top the group, despite the slip-up against Hispinas.

“Hispinas were a shock to the system, that’s for sure,” said Haberkorn.

“We’ve been in that position regularly where as the underdog you need to surprise the opposition, and they were well and truly on top of us for a large portion of that game - it was hopefully a bit of a wake-up call for the side.

“We weren’t clinical enough getting forward and lost a lot of the play in transition and for me that’s a clear area to work on ahead of our clash with Xanneria - who are going to be a real tough ask to get anything from.

“It’s often been a case of relying on some individuals to pull us out of situations we find ourselves in - Drake Wruck is often our saving grace up front, but Ry [Whinery] was in top form today despite the early goal. With someone else between the sticks for us, Hispinas might have nabbed another goal or two quite easily.

“We’re not out of the discussion for topping the group yet, but getting out of it is the top priority. We’ve got a couple of huge games to end the group on and we’ve made a positive start, but now it’s just seeing all that through to the end.”

by **Langenia** » Fri Sep 13, 2024 4:32 am

Noticias: Deportes

A Nation Holds Its Breath

A 2-1 defeat of Los Azules at the hands of Kronbia, the recent Baptism of Fire runner-up who also bested Langenia in that tournament by the same score, has left many Langenians holding their breath and anxiously hoping for the Langenian national team to mount a comeback to qualify for the Round of 16 after compiling a record of 1 win and 2 consecutive losses so far at the Cup of Harmony.

The Langenians would go into the game with Kronbia optimistically hoping for a draw or even a win to avenge their defeat at the Baptism of Fire. However, all hope of this would quickly be stifled in the game's opening minutes as the Kronbian defense ground down the Langenian attacks once again. Even so, at the 37th minute Langenia would achieve a breakthrough as Daniel Gallegos would score off a powerful shot from outside the penalty area after Oscar Galindo played a pass backwards towards him.

With Langenia up 1-0, Kronbia would be quick to retaliate with counterattacks on the Langenian goal. A desperate Langenian defense would result in a careless foul outside the penalty area by fullback Zacarias Montes on Kronbian forward Alfredo Florian, conceding a free kick to Kronbia. Florian would put just enough power on the ball to send it towards his teammates in the penalty area for defender Marcio to head it in and equalize in the 43rd minute.

Encouraged with the game now equalized in the second half, both teams would try to find a tiebreaker but fall short as the Kronbian defense stopped Langenian attacks and Los Azules grew more adept at preventing counterattacks. However, Langenian defender Mateo Secada, who had come as a substitute, would foul Kronbian forward Ovidio Florencio by shoving him to the ground inside the penalty area to concede a critical penalty kick.

Florencio would successfully score off the spot kick in the 73rd minute for Kronbia to take the lead. Revitalized by their lead, Kronbia would hold the Langenians at bay to the end of the game and into stoppage time, handing Los Azules a second consecutive defeat in the Cup of Harmony group stage.

The Langenians are now at fifth place in their Cup of Harmony group, leaving millions of Los Azules fans at home and the thousands supporting the team in Banija anxiously crossing their fingers and hoping for wins on Match Days 4 and 5 to avoid a heartbreaking group stage exit. To put it into perspective, given the popularity of football in the country, some churches reported an uptick of requests for prayer in masses to include mentions of the national football team.

Rumors abound that the Langenian Football Federation intends to sack Los Azules coach Enrique Vargas in the event the Langenians are forced to exit in the group stage. Vargas shrugged off the rumors at the Langenian team's training camp in Banija. "Unfortunately, anyone in my position will be subjected to that kind of scrutiny in the wake of a two-game losing streak, I won't deny it. We weren't able to play our best and made several critical mistakes, such as giving away too many fouls at important moments, that caused those losses. That's on me. But we've been working hard to gain experience, to become a better team, and I couldn't be prouder of my boys [the players]. I am optimistic we can hope for success on Match Days 4 and 5."

Noticias: Deportes

Los Azules To Wear Jerseys with Military Seal

Starting on Match Day 4, the Langenian Football Federation announced the Langenian national football team would wear modified jerseys for the rest of their time in the Cup of Harmony tournament, featuring the seal of the Langenian Armed Forces on the sleeve. The move was done with the purpose of honoring the Langenian military as the September 15 Independence Day national holiday approaches. Interestingly, the announcement has drawn controversy, with both praise and criticism of the decision to feature the military seal on Los Azules jerseys.

The controversy is reflective of the military's long legacy, both positive and negative, on Langenian history. Founded by national hero Joaquin Alcocer to fight against the Tauridian colonial forces in the Langenian War of Independence in the 1810s, the armed forces would later be notorious in the 19th and 20th centuries for a habit of meddling in civilian politics and staging coups that led to military dictatorships governing the nation for decades, the most recent of which was the junta that ruled from 1972 to 1985. Even so, the military would also earn a revered reputation for fighting against foreign invaders from the continent of Eulabia and their local allies in the 1860s, fascist forces in Ameripacha (the continent where Langenia is located) and in other parts of the world in the 1930s and 1940s, and against communist guerillas and their national backers from the 1950s to the 1990s. In the era of multiparty Langenian democracy that has flourished since the 1980s the armed forces have rehabilitated their reputation, once-tarnished by the military dictatorships, by submitting to civilian governance and focusing solely on improving technologically in an ever-changing 21st century.

Currently, since the beginning of this year the Langenian military has been engrossed in a cross-border military operation in the neighboring nation of Parador, the result of a long-simmering border dispute that exploded when Paradorian-backed terrorists attacked the major Langenian cities of San Jose and Aragon on New Year's Day, causing thousands of casualties. Simultaneously, a military regime took power in Parador that declared war on Langenia. In retaliation, Langenian forces entered Parador to root out the terrorists, but the conflict has now entered its eighth month of fighting as the Langenians overwhelmed the conventional Paradorian military only to face stiff guerilla resistance that continues. It remains to be seen how the war will play out.

Because of the ongoing war in Parador, critics denounced the wearing of the military seal as a jingoistic move reminiscent of the era of the military dictatorships. Nonetheless, others have defended it, declaring it an expression of pride in an institution that defends Langenia when called upon. As of now, the decision stands. Los Azules players will wear the military seal on the sleeves of their uniforms starting on Match Day 4 for the rest of their time in the Cup of Harmony.

by **Audioslavia** » Fri Sep 13, 2024 4:44 am

Carrying the One

A few thousand years ago, Audioslavia had a disastrous fourteen minute experiment with a monarchy. The movement to restore the monarchy has never gone away in the millennia since, which in turn means the righteously violent republican movement continues to pursue its ancient and sacred oath to murder anyone in Audioslavia who holds the title of First In Line For The Thone. Due to the popular Successr mobile app, Audioslavians keep an occasional tab on where they might be in the line of succession, and are advised to emigrate sharpish should their number drop into the single digits.

Things can get messy if you try to ride your luck. Especially if your older brothers like extreme sports and your father has a bit of a dicky heart...

Emergency podcast time! Emergency podcast time! Two episodes in the same month for the first time in, ooh, when was it?

Oh, it must have been... It was a few years ago I think. Earthquake in southern Anaia and, who were we looking at? Who was involved?

Notes! Where are my notes! This is what happens when we're in emergency podcast mode, folks! Let's cue the music, we'll pick this up when we come back!

Doo dum ding dading, you're listening to The Rest Is Monarchy, with former 'Kingvestigator' Txo Larrea and former restorationist Gerald Fruitweight. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for a new episode on the first Monday of the month, and allow notifications to be alerted to any breaking royal-watch news, including special emergency podcasts! Doo dum ding dading

And Gerald, don't forget, all winter we're partnered with Keith's Briefs. Do you find your underwear just disintegrates and falls off within three weeks of wearing it? Well with Keith's Briefs you can subscribe to receive two pairs of underpants in the mail every three weeks! Keith's Briefs offer both types of underpants: Y-fronts and slightly overlarge tartan boxers, so you'll be prepared for any situation. Don't let a woman see you in anything other than some Keith's Briefs briefs, or else she might just walk away, and so you shouldn't walk away from this deal today!

Cole Wainbridge!

Cole! That's the guy. Still going strong, number twelve, I think? Well, with what's just happened...

Very old information, Txo! I do believe Mr. Wainbridge has been moved into the top ten. Without further ado, shall we summarise the goings-on in Koroatuz and Emberton over the last twenty-four hours.

Tragedy in Koroatuz. I almost feel bad for the Farrington family.

I do feel bad for them. It's a horrible thing to happen, even to someone of the Lineage, Txo, surely you can't let your thirst for the blood of the Lineage cloud your judgement of this tragic...

So many millionaires died during the downhill that they're renaming the event 'moguls'

Oh come on

Sorry, I've been waiting to use that for hours now. So. Here's the low-down on how the numbers go down, take it away Gerald!

Tragically, number 3 in the line of succession, Torquil Farrington, 34, Audioslavian skier based in Emberton, made a rare trip back to his homeland to participate in the Koroa Cup, a skiing event in Koroatuz. His brother, Terrence Farrington, 37, number two in the line of succession and a former Audioslavian skier also based in Emberton, but now a commentator for Ski Goes Pop, the semi-popular weekend skiing show on Anaiasport, was commentating in the make-shift booth at the bottom of the hill, near the finishing line.

And we had the highest speed fratricide since that time someone reanimated the wright brothers and gave them a modern fighter jet each and told them 'oh it works about the same as the one you made'

Tragically, and it is tragic, Txo...

Tragically ended 'Ski Goes Pop' early

Tragically, Terrence was expecting a son. Due in a few weeks, so we hear. And, even more tragically, the father of Terrence, god rest him, and Torquil, god rest him, the man who was Number One in the Line of Succession and therefore Rightful Heir to the Throne of Audioslavia, entrepreneur Clout Farrington, aged 71...

I still can't believe his name is 'clout', rich people have always been weird

...who had been battling a bout of ill health recently, succumbed to a heart-attack while watching the program from a hospital bed in Emberton, Krytenia, where he lives. Or, rather, lived.

And so, drum roll, who is now the Target?

He is not a target and here at The Rest is Monarchy we emphatically do not condone the act of brutally murdering whoever is first in line to the throne the second they step foot in Audioslavia. The current Rightful Heir to the Throne of Audioslavia is one Fraser Farrington, 20, an intern at Link, the car company

Paid intern I bet

I mean, probably not now.

He hasn't been seen since a witness spied him jumping into a taxi outside the offices of Link.

It's understood that some members of the company he worked for were working with Kingsvestigators, do you know anything about this?

I'm not involved with the hunt, these days, but it wouldn't surprise me. The tendrils of the organization go everywhere

What's certain is that his life is in danger. Audioslavian border controls typically do not prevent anyone of the Lineage from emigrating, even if they're First in Line, but they do keep vigorous emigration records, naturally, and it appears would-be King Fraser I is still in Audioslavia.

He'll only be "kInG" Fraser I if he gets into power, which he won't, for reasons we've argued about for years

Either way, yes, he may be usurped in a week or two by the child of Terrence Farrington, as yet un-named and of a sex not yet assigned. Terrence's wife, Tania, is receiving 24/7 care, what with the news and everything. She can scarcely be fit to travel...

I don't condone killing babies, but if they might be king one day...

Disgusting.

Anyway so rather than emigrate...

No really, I must protest, that really is the most disgusting thing I've ever heard.

Well, yes, it isn't anything to be proud of, I'm sorry but...

But luckily for you, Txo, it's not as disgusting as your underwear may become if you don't subscribe to Keith's Briefs who we're partnered with all winter! Do you find your underwear develops so many unsightly blotches that it looks like it's developed trench foot? Well with Keith's Briefs you can subscribe to receive two pairs of underpants in the mail every three weeks! Keith's Briefs offer underwear in both colours: slightly off greyish white with faded blue, or a sort of beige plaid, so you'll be prepared for any situation. Don't let a woman see you in anything other than some Keith's Briefs briefs, or she'll be like 'those pants didn't come from a subscription system I'm leaving'

So anyway, what were we saying?

You were going to mention something about emigration.

Ah, yeah, so young Fraser may not have to emigrate, he just has to wait it out for a week, and Tania and Terrence's kid will take on the Number One Target role

If he wants to keep his job at Link, he can take this week as sick leave, I'm sure

He'd just be relying on Tania leaving with the baby to somewhere safe

And, of course, that the baby is born male. Do you think he knows?

That he's dead if the kid doesn't have certain accessories? Yeah, yeah I'd say he's aware

Are you aware of Fraser's whereabouts?

I am not, like I said, I'm not part of the system any more, but if we get wind of anything, expect another Emergency Podcast here at The Rest is Monarchy...

by **Brusseldorf** » Fri Sep 13, 2024 7:48 am

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Wounded Wolfenden: Brusseldorf Face an Uphill Battle Without Captain
September 11th
Jackie Greenwich

In the world of football, it is said that the game is won or lost in moments. For Brusseldorf, one such moment came during their 0–2 loss to Kamijiro, when Teddy Wolfenden was forced off the field with an injury. The sight of Wolfenden clutching his leg as he was helped off not only crushed Brusseldorf’s hopes for a comeback against Kamijiro, but also casts a shadow over their upcoming fixtures.

Brusseldorf's next match against Captina Island is, on paper, a highly winnable game. The Rosso e Oro have had an underwhelming start to the cup, with three low-scoring draws placing them in fourth. Their lack of a cutting edge could present an opportunity for Hakeem al-Araibi’s side to consolidate their position in the top two - but without the leadership and clinical finishing of Wolfenden, Brusseldorf will need look elsewhere - the creative burden will likely fall on players like Michael Hernández and Aktha Akiveal, who have both stepped up in the past. Even if Brusseldorf can beat Captina Island, the real test will be Matchday 5. Brusseldorf will face heavy-hitters HUElavia in what could be the deciding game of the group stage. HUElavia have not enjoyed a particularly favourable opening to the group stage, but their recent 4-0 demolition of Restresas is a chill-inducing reminder of their potency in front of goal. If Wolfenden remains unavailable, Brusseldorf may be playing on a wing and a prayer.

Murmurs from Los Alrededores base camp suggest that the injury is hamstring related, which, depending on severity could mean missing Wolfenden for a few days, or, a few months. If Brusseldorf do make it through to the round of 16, their beleaguered captain will be hoping that it's the former.

Cup of Harmony 89 - Everything Thread

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