World Cup 99 - RP Thread

[Of the Golden Harp]

After a series of losses the Holy Harps prepare for a home match against Brusseldorf. While ranked highly, Brusseldorf are next to last in the group, only higher than Sadame. After showing great potential, Ninniau Steed has been put on the sub bench for today. Conall Buchanan has returned from his suspension for missing a game and drunk driving. The Dublin Grand Harp was packed from top to bottom, with all 92000 seats full. An estimated 40 million watching on television. The chants were loud and strong from before the match even started. Thousands of voices as one. Only the players could hear the whistle at kickoff. Brusseldorf kicked the ball back to their keeper, who kicked the ball to his right back. The right back accelerated down the wing and was nearly past the back line when Evan Kelleher flew in with a sliding tackle, sending the ball out and Brusseldorf’s right back flying. Play continued as the ball was thrown in, but the throw in was intercepted by Darren Keane, who launched the ball to Garbhan. Garbhan ran straight at the two center backs of Brusseldorf, who were distracted by Paul Johnson and Conall Buchanan. With the three on two Garbhan was able to create a one on one with the left center back. He ran towards the center back, and did a rainbow flick over his head! With this Garbhan was past all of the defense and sprinted to the box. He buried the ball in the back of the net before the keeper could come more than a couple yards out. The back line being tore apart like this demoralized Brusseldor, who started to slow down, and lose their previous momentum. Brusseldorf did manage to get past the back line, but didn’t even get a shot off as Garbhan, with his incredible speed, caught up to the striker and slide tackled him. Possession was completely dominated by the Holy Harps, who kept the ball right outside the box for most of the game. The Holy Harps had 13 shots before halftime. The Holy Harps went into the locker room with great energy. They had dominated the game. At the break manager Sigmund Reynolds discussed tactics, and substitutions. It was decided that the tactics would stay the same, with a couple substitutions. The striker duo would now consist of Arlo O’ Burn and Ninniau Steed. Dax Shaw came on for Jones Collins. At the start of the second half Steed passed the ball to Garbhan, who with Brusseldorf’s lack of energy, sprinted down the field untouched, until a was met by Brusseldorf’s right center back. Garbhan stopped, backed up slightly, and chipped the ball over the defenders head, where it was seen by Ninniau Steed, who with his first touch chipped the ball up and to the edge of the 18 yard box, and then as the goalkeeper was rushing out he kicked the ball out of the air with all of the power he could muster, and the ball flew through the air the goalkeeper looked back in shock as he found the ball in the back of the net, when just a second ago the ball was at the feet of Ninniau Steed. The 19 year old who just made his senior debut at club level a couple weeks ago, and just days ago on the national level, has scored his first ever goal for his country, and man! What a goal it was. He stared forward in disbelief as one teammate after another swarmed him. Even the ultra serious Darren Keane offered congratulations and a smile. After this Steed also smiled. You could hear the excitement through all of Dublin. Play restarted after a while, but Brusseldorf couldn’t get anything done, especially now that the Holy Harps had settled into a low block. 40 minutes of trying to get a goal, and Brusseldorf couldn’t even get a shot off. A 2-0 victory for the Holy Harps. Bar sales skyrocketed for an entire day afterwards, and many visitors said Dublin smelt like a brewery. When asked about the match captain Jason O’ Finnegan said “A large part of our success in in the tactics of Sigmund Reynolds. His tactics allow for creativity on the pitch, while retaining discipline. It makes a solid defense, while freeing the offense to score.” The fans may have celebrated madly, but the players didn’t. They had one more game to win this time around.

[HUElavia]

HUElavia 3–1 Oscioru
(Piñón 8', Beira 33', 70' (P) | Bosch 86')
Estadio Pereira, Fronde, HUElavia

Sadame 0–3 HUElavia
(Serra Fontes 5', 88' (P), Sol 57')

The Faces of HUElavia

Episode 4:
The Yamoto

HUElavia is a massive nation filled to the brim in a melting pot of many ethnicities and cultures that have immigrated to the country to join the Native Hueti, the Portuzians and the Aestellians. The largest of these immigrant groups to join is The Yamoto. They are the largest ethnic group outside of the "Big 3," where over 28 Million HUElavians claim full or partial ancestry.

The Yamoto were the first immigrant group to come from Aesia, coming from the Island nation of Sakura. The majority were poor farmers and their families who came looking for work and better finances than what was offered by the Emperor in Sakura. Thus, from 1900 to 1920, millions of Yamoto immigrated to HUElavia, being the first choice of country for the immigrants to move to (followed by Sudilia). Most immigrated to the port city of Costa Linda (which eventually became known as Sega), where they began to make their own neighborhoods and districts. They were given work mainly on the farms more inland, on coffee, tobacco and fruit farms, picking at the crops for a relatively low wage, but seemingly better than that back in Sakura.

At first, the Yamoto were mainly looked down upon by the mainly Portuzian-HUElavians that ran the farms and lived in Western HUElavia, including some instances of Racism, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence against them. Some would fight back, but for the most part, many Yamoto-HUElavians would be steadfast, working hard, saving money or sending money back to Sakura to support families back home. Eventually, once factories would open in the area, quite a few would trade farming for manufacturing and began to earn respect among the local HUElavian people for their diligence, hard work ethic, and respectfulness of others. Despite the onset of World War II and Sakura being part of the Axis, many Yamoto-HUElavians showed their loyalty to HUElavia, where many men enlisted into military service and many of them renounced their citizenship to Sakura, proving their loyalty to HUElavia, in an act to ensure their place in HUElavia.

Eventually after the war, there were Yamoto-HUElavians who would begin opening businesses involving technologies and automobiles. In fact, the northwest became the Technological hub for HUElavia when it began to take off and the advances made the area a starting point for the HUElavian Space Race in the 1960s. Over time, the Yamoto began to be seen as "model citizens" and became an integral part of the country and culture. At this point, the Yamoto culture has influenced HUElavia in many ways.

The Yamoto brought the Japanese language to HUElavia, where while it is spoken almost exclusively to the Pacific Northwest of HUElavia, it is a popular language for students to learn in High School and University. Part of this popularity has come from the popularity of Anime, Manga and Light Novels among the HUElavian youth. While Sakura makes the vast majority of Anime, Manga, and Light Novels, some of the production work of Anime does get outsourced to HUElavia, as well as there are authors and production companies from and based out of HUElavia that make anime that is popular in HUElavia and Abroad. Another reason where the language is studied is due to many viewing Sakura as a beautiful nation that is desired to be visited among HUElavians. On top of that, the high speed rail and courtesy found in HUElavia is influenced by the Yamoto culture. Yamoto food is very popular throughout the country with Sushi and Tonkatsu (pork cutlet) being among the most popular dishes ordered in restaurants. In the Pacific Northwest, the distinctive Yamoto Architecture and Neon Signs are common in the area, as well as Yamoto music is very popular not just in the region, but throughout HUElavia. The most popular clothes brought by the Yamoto is of course the Yukata, which is very popular during the summer, especially being made of materials that make it breathable and easy to use during the hot and humid temperatures.

The Yamoto-HUElavians can be found in almost anything, from Politics to Business to Entertainment to Sports. The most famous Yamoto-HUElavian was footballing legend Ayuka Hamada-Navarro, who was the first female player to score for the HUElavian National Football Team and had been instrumental in the World Cup appearances and the IAC Finals appearances that HUElavia had. Her success had inspired many Yamoto-HUElavians to take up sports and nowadays many are involved in clubs throughout the country in a variety of sports, as well as the National Team for whatever sport they may compete in.

[United States of Nova Calania]

A draw against the Ochre Islands

Starting XI vs Sadame @ Stade Fernand-Desgroseilliers, Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer
GK MARCEL - LB OUZY - CB ZIA - CB PHOEBE (Kris 72') - EVAN - DCM KYLE - LW MO - RW ASHY (Maggie 79')- ACM YI MING - S ROD - S LP (Haley 72')

Starting XI @ Ochre Islands
GK SERGE - LB ALYSSA (Evan 68') - CB VLODZY - CB GIBBY - RB NATEY (Anna 36') - DCM LE GÉNÉRAL - LW MEI - RW ROSE - ACM CHARLOTTE - S ROD (Lily 81') - S FRED

Bellflower, Ochre Islands - On week 7. Nova Calania received Sadame at home in Saint-jean-Jacques-sur-Mer. Against this low ranked team, another stadium than the usual one in Saint-Jean-Jcques-sur-Mer was selected: Stade Fernand-Desgroseilliers, located in the Baie-Sainte-Marguerite district. Baie-Sainte-Marguerite is a middle class neighborhood and also the neighborhood of the English speaking community of Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer. Nova Calania had the ball at the 12th minute when Morgan Klingenberg dribbled with the ball and passed to Rodrigo Guénette-Velazquez who kicks it and it's a goal. It was a corner kick at the 43rd minute and Kyle Klingenberg kicks the ball in the penalty area, Evan MacNeely jumps and heads the ball into the goal. The score was 2-0 at halftime and this is the final score.

12th     GOAL NOVA CALANIA   Rodrigo Guénette-Velazquez assisted by Morgan Klingenberg
43rd     GOAL NOVA CALANIA   Evan MacNeely (corner kick)

On the following week, the Tapirs made a short travel to the Ochre Islands to play against their Anaian friends. The game ended with a 0-0 draw with both goalkeepers playing the game of their life, Both teams had a couple of chance to score but Serge Bleau-Bean and Daniel Waitsman blocked everything. Nathan McCaskill injured himself at the 36th minute and will be unavailable to play the next few matches. Nova Calania is actually 7th in the standings with 6 points behind the 3rd place. It's been a really bad 1st leg with only 2 wins and too much draws. The team has also scored only 11 goals, this is not enough. Let's hope things will change in the 2nd leg but our next three games are against Qusmo, HUElavia and Valanora.

Projected Starting XI vs Qusmo @ Stadion Azteca, Ostrow Krolewski, Odlegla Ziemia
GK SERGE - LB ALYSSA - CB VLODZY - CB GIBBY - RB PHOEBE - DCM LE GÉNÉRAL - LW MEI - RW ROSE - ACM CHARLOTTE - S ROD - S FRED

Projected Starting XI @ HUElavia
GK SERGE - LB ALYSSA - CB VLODZY - CB GIBBY - RB EVAN - DCM LE GÉNÉRAL - LW MEI - RW ROSE - ACM CHARLOTTE - S ROD - S FRED

Paul-André Veilleux

----------------------------------

A day in the life of Paul-Émile

Paul-Émile is a 29 years old man who grew up in the Gouin district of Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer. Today, Paul-Émile woke up at 10 am, took a shower, got dressed and ate scrambled eggs for breakfast/lunch. Paul-Émile goes to the gym after eating his breakfast/lunch. Then, it's time to go to work. Paul-Émile works in the Downtown district of Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer and takes bus line #16 to go to work. He works as a cook at Giulia's, an italian restaurant and he starts working at 2 pm. Paul-Émile start preparing his stuff, he also have to think of a staff meal for the restaurant staff. He decides to try something new: Fettucine with a creamy beer sauce. he chooses a Kohev Küngas-Vaga, a session IPA made with Kveik yeast, to add in his sauce. The recipe also have mushrooms and pulled chicken. All the staff loved his recipe and the chef asked him to standardise his recipe because he plans to add it on the restaurant menu. Paul-Émile is very happy that the chef said he wants his recipe on the menu and he was in a very good mood for the rest of the day. Today, the restaurant has 167 customers and everything went smoothly. After the restaurant closed, around 11 pm, Paul-Émile and all the staff sat on the restaurant's terrasse and smoked weed and drank beers. Luckily for the staff, the restaurant's owner doesn't know they're doing it. All the staff was still talking about his Fettucine with a creamy Kohev Küngas-Vaga sauce.

[Vaishnavaria]

Komich and Kar Drop Hat tricks as Tigers find new life and skyrocket to third place



Kar celebrates with Kyle Russo after second goal

SIOVINIJA AND TUESLAND- The Tigers are on an absolute tear through the league cruising on a four game winning streak and punching their way back from 7th place to 3rd after their utter destruction of the Zirahuen and Qasden Football Teams. 4-1 and 5-1 an enormous pair of victories by an extremely wide margin of 7-2. Komich and Kar both shined as they seemed unstoppable in both games with Alec getting his redemption in a very well constructed hat trick versus Zirahuen in the first game with 2 assists as well to Nahari Jain and Nathaniel Grant. In the second game Zakaraya Kar also showcased his skill and prowess by dropping his very own hat trick 3 flashy and awe inspiring goals- each one better than the last.


The first game was 90 minutes of total domination reflected on the pitch. From the start the Tigers showcased unnatural energy and aggression with Kyle Russo recovering from his slump after Saint Eleanor and having 3 steals in the first 5 minutes. The midfield was flying over the field with Don Ososton shining with his incredible speed and strength stonewalling almost every attempt to start a midfield attack. The first ten minutes were just a complete rout for the Zirahuen offense. The Tigers offense also began putting the pressure on the Zirahuen defense.


In the 15th Minute the Tigers caught their moment and Alecsander Komich was the architect. Komich received a pass from Abhi Nartar after a steal and began dribbling with full speed past midfield. This is unnatural for Komich as his playing style is to slowly dribble and setup a good position to attack on goal. Komich caught the defense unorganized and surprised and he split through into dangerous territory. With 3 defenders scrambling to defend the box in front of him Komich came to a halt and that prompted the defender to come up on him in attempt for a steal. Komich faked him and sent him flying and revved up past the middle and launched a curved fast paced shot at goal with 2 defenders and a goalie guarding. The curve went past all three and sailed into the corner of the goal practically uncontested.


All hell broke loose then and Komich caught the keeper off the line and launched a fast skyed shot that barely was out of reach of the keepers hand for his second. He posted up an incredibly tight pass to open up a chip shot for Nathaniel Grant who easily put it in and had the crowd roaring. Komich had another assist to put up a header for Nahari Jain who tonked it off the good side of the post and went in. He finally completed his hat trick in the 70th minute a simple 1v1 for Komich on the corner of the field which Komich won but as he neared to paralleling the box instead of putting up a cross to Zakaraya Kar, Grant heckled him to shoot and complete his hat trick with a wonderful class shot that beat the keeper.



The next game was another massacre. In just the 3rd minute Zakaraya Kar rainbowed a defender and played a flashy trivela that fooled the keeper for a goal. The defense shut down the Qasden high quality offense in the first 5 minutes and it was a rout for the Qasden Team. Kar was on a roll and in the 20th minute he had a free kick nearing the box and instead of hitting an easy header to Nahari Jain he played a risky and tough shot that managed to sneak past the keeper and get in another goal. Alecsander Komich was visibly displeased on the field at Kar but Jain waved it off and Komich decided to let Kar off. The Qasden Teeam managed to hit a very confusing header in which a bad pass tonked off a Qasden player's shoulder and slowly snuck in. Giovanni Marcilo thought it was a handball and din;t completely defend it and he was almost given a card after repetitively arguing with the Referee. However that didn't stop the Tigers as the young rookie Don Ososton showed off his speed and powerafter shedding multiple defenders and nailing a extremely fast shit that bounced off the keepers fingers and into the goal and Finally Kar managed to complete his hat trick after Komich slid in a wonderful pass and Kar played a chip shot into the goal. The other goal was actually accidental because Zakaraya Kar tried to fire in a shot from a long way and it accidentally hit Nahari Jain in the face and into the goal


A wonderful wonderful Paris of wins for the tigers and we are know officially in the "Big Three" or the top three in the group that will qualify. The Tigers "Haven't even begun their work yet" according to Coach Gahand and they are looking to keep showcasing the same team and aggressive play that they have shown against every opponent that they come across

[Yuugria]

Communist cult takes responsibility for horrible Ushu Mining Attacks


As of Friday Night a series of clips,documents and data have been purposefully leaked. These pieces of evidence are linked to the Ushu Mining Attack where it was believed to be Help Earth. But recent evidence released by Alkazr agents showed that Help Earth might not be the culprit. They were completely inactive after the Cogre Bombing and after multiple arrests of their top brass and asset seizures they were in no position to facilitate this attack.

Yesterday on JUO an account labeled "theREALparadise_05-28-25" posted a series of posts detailing how the Ushu attack was planned included with clips of evidence showing bank statements, decrypted communications, structure plans, fake IDs and video clips showing the terrorists suiting up and preparing for the attack. The post was taken down half an hour later but by then word had spread around that the attackers were affiliated with that account.


2 hours ago Alkazr directore Ashel An-Mazy and Ushu Governor Hader Waas hosted a joint press conference to the state media. They stated that the communist group the Workers Association of Yugri better known as the Yukr Order had officially taken credit for the Ushu Mining Attack. theREALparadise_05-28-25 was a social media front to spread the Yukr Order Propaganda and they added the date of the attack to their username shortly after. The posts showed detailed evidence showing the Yukr insignia and evidence of how they did it. The director stated that 2 arrests had already been made of guerrillas attempting to hijack a government bus in Daecader.


Governor Waas stepped in and revealed that 8 of the 12 critically injured miners had died the other night after 2 days of extremely critical condition. 3 bodies have also showed up burnt and defamed by the Yakr's and they were determined to be the missing miners. 2 are still MIA.


This horrendous act will not be forgotten. Daecader is actively on high alert with curfews heavily enforced and the city being combed every day. Police officers patrol restlessly and man checkpoints 24/7. Intelligence agents work around the clock in an attempt to aid in the coordinated effort to find the attackers and special soldiers and armed Yijadists patrol the jungles.


The jungle will be retaken. By any means neccesary

[Milchama]

"So we haven't done one of these yet"

"Nope but we also missed two windows"

"Good point"

"So I guess it's time"

"I mean we could do another newspaper report about something else"

"More about the reorganization of the league system?"

"Essentially, there's a lot going on there"

"Did you hear that Great Alexandria are building a 30,000 seat stadium?"

"Wow! That's pretty cool"

"Yep"

"Why though?"

"They can afford it and they draw 20k as is"

"Fair enough but they're not good"

"Yes they are, they have 3 players on the National Team"

"We should put down who plays where like they do for baseball"

"You know what really needs to happen for baseball, what we need to figure out who won the second division"

"Same deal with Banija"

"Yeah Squorn should DM Ban about that"

"Even by Milchamian standards this is a little ridiculous bit of 4th wall breaking"

"Look there's no theme to this RP, it's coming from a place of deep exhaustion and no real creative juices"

"You know that most people just do a match report then, instead of an introspection into their own psyche"

"What introspection? This is surface level stuff"

"What do you mean this is surface level?"

"We haven't delved into anybody's psyche, just a list of things that needs to be done. This is a freaking work meeting, a to do list"

"Ok but we could still talk do a match report"

"Fair enough"

"Will we though?"

"Nope"

"Cool, glad we agreed on that"

"Do you want to do an interrogation into your psyche?"

"Sure but don't go Freudian on me"

"Damnit, the whole joke was going to be me saying you're jealous of your parent for having sex with the other parent"

"Yeah you can't be gender neutral with a Freud joke"

"That's why it had to be cut off from the beginning or else we would have to identify ourselves or at least our gender"

"I think it's pretty clear we're both male"

"You don't know that"

"I can see you"

"They don't know that"

"Who is that?"

"The people who read these words on a computer and can't see our faces"

"Why should we keep ourselves anonymous from them?"

"For the obvious reasons"

"We're fictional characters"

"You don't know that"

"With all the 4th wall leaning/breaking we do know that"

"Fair enough"

"Alright this has gone off the rails"

"It started off the rails but got worse"

"What's the point of RPing is it to have fun/world build/whatever else or is it a gamified thing in order to do better in the World Cup?"

"I believe this question has been answered by the NSS community as Yes"

"Should we have politics in Milchama?"

"We do have politics in Milchama"

"No like do fake elections and stuff"

"Nah, no fun"

"Why not?"

"We can barely keep track of our sports leagues and now we're doing politics"

"Ok then, good point"

"Pray to Margaret?"

"Sure"

"Ringa pakia!''
''Uma tiraha!''
''Turi whatia!''
''Hope whai ake!''
''Waewae takahia kia kino!''
''Ka mate, ka mate''
''Ka ora, ka ora''
''Ka mate, ka mate''
''Ka ora, ka ora''
''Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuru''
''Nāna nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā''
''Ā upane, ka upane''
''Whiti te rā, hī!''

"Now repeat after me!"

"Forini! Forini!"
"Finidi! Finidi!"
"George! George!"
"Oh Brother! Oh brother!"

*They strip and run around for 18 minutes*

"We pray the Margaret of SnubNose 38 and Random Number God that you may deliver us victory over all infidels that we face in international play"

"Sacrifice the Rubber Chicken!"

*Swoosh of an axe and the chicken is dead*

"Margaret we pray that you take this sacrifice of a rubber chicken in good faith and that by your deliverance Milchama does well in all international competitions"

"Come on You Warriors!"

"Let's Go Milchama!"

[Zwangzug]

The Spenson Star

On Bishen Varadarajan's sizbermetrics:

Tandre Vusin-Jacques:
Look, this is cool, this calculates what percentage of times a player was offsides when attempting a shot. Not super useful for me, admittedly, but it could be great for Brunnhilde and Virginia. And then there's also one that tells you what fraction of the time the refs actually called a foul on someone when they went to the grass, as opposed to ignoring them. But what's really neat is that when you add them together, you get a statistic that's more correlated to match outcomes than either one alone. Onsides plus diving percentage! Um, again, I haven't personally benefited from studying the game this way, but I'm sure Varadarajan gets a lot out of it!

Tinn Jejue:
You know, when you multiply a garbage statistic by another garbage statistic, what you get out is a statistic that's more garbage, because now it sucks in multiple dimensions. I'm pretty sure something like that is going on here.

On visiting 102d:

Vusin-Jacques:
What, were you imagining I would sneak home to sleep in my own bed? Of course I stay with my teammates, we're all in this together! Even if some of us are just sitting on the bench most of the time. I'm happy to play tour guide, there are a bunch of cool restaurants downtown with weirdly colored flags. I'm not sure what they represent, it's not any countries I've ever heard of. Maybe it's a Pride thing? Anyway, I can tell people which of the new recipes are worth a shot and which are more...experimental, the way fads come and go here it can be hard to tell what will last.

Jejue:
If I lived here I would sleep in my own bed, we get way too much social time in these long qualifiers as it is. Look, I'm glad to be around fellow Algebraic notators, this place is a lot more fun than freaking Bassabook. And if rainbows are for Pride, I'm all for it, marriage equality is important and anyone who thinks otherwise can bite me. Some of the other flags, though, I have no idea either. Increasingly bespoke attempts at making identitarian capital out of personality? If it's just for niche sexual practices, well...good for 102d, honestly, I wasn't sure anywhere in this country was sufficiently sex-positive enough to make flags out of it but this town might be able to pull it off. Maybe.

On defeating Xanneria:

Vusin-Jacques:
Sometimes it's nice to have a thankfully uneventful game. Particularly as the high seeds. I'm sure there were a bunch of ways I never really considered that the game could go wrong; it's nice that I still don't have to consider them! None of us have faced this team, so it's not what you'd call a rivalry, I assume they're just trying to treat it like any other match--easy for me to say since I'm sitting on the bench most of the time! It was kind of surprising to learn that the return leg would be in Arlington, since City aren't the most dominant team in the league right now--of course they have a great history, they definitely have the depth and youth system to catch us all by surprise any season now! And I know some people have been a little nervy about that particular choice given some prior unpleasantness, but holding grudges is no fun, let's put the past behind us and try to be gracious hosts nine matchdays from now!

Jejue:
@@DEITY@@ on a @@PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION DEVICE@@. "Recent unpleasantness"? First of all, it isn't fucking recent unless you're one of the assclowns who never forget any history that involves them and never remembers anything else, but considering it's Arlington we're dealing with that's about right. Secondly, if lines were actually crossed, maybe don't be a pussyfoot and spell it out so people know what you're talking about and don't have to practice telepathy. When you hedge around like that, it kind of sounds like you weren't sure whatever happened was bad enough to complain about, or you think maybe it was but you're trying to earn brownie points by being the bigger person. News flash, you're a male goalkeeper, I'm pretty sure you're at least six feet tall and already bigger than most of us, you don't need to go around trying to prove it. Not bigger than me, obviously, I'm six fucking four. Chew on that, chess nerds.

MD7: McGraw 22, Aksnes 40, McHeran 79
MD8: Carre 40 and 90+2, Spand-Maunk 67; #10 28

[Zenic]

“As it stands, the Survivors remain in first place with 7 wins, no draws and a single loss so far.

The TV screen flipped from a shot of the local channel's sports anchor to a graphic showing the current standings in Group 5 of the World Cup Qualifiers to show the full picture of the situation. Zenic was tied with fellow Z Squad member, Zwangzug, on points and only led thanks to goal differential being the tiebreaker before head to head results. Reigning champions Flavovespia and Independent standout Indusse trailed by 4 and 5 points respectively.

Shortly after, another graphic transitioned in to show the next four upcoming matches for Zenic. "The Survivors take an extended trip to Anaia as they visit the number one team in futbol, Flavovespia, to finish off the first half of qualifiers. Then, they take a small skip and a hop over for a rematch with United Hawkland to kick off the second half of qualification. Eventually, they return to the Philosophia to host REPUBLICANLAND and then head over to the Eagles' Club for a Z Squad reunion with Zwangzug. And, of course, all matches will be available right here on...."

'Click'. The Emperor turned off the television and rubbed his exhausted eyes. "Anything? Anything at all on Dragutin Tomčić?" The military liaison who had just walked into the office simply shook his head and handed over some reports. "We're coordinating with local PD in all border cities but no ping on any of their radars. His apartment in New Citium is barebones and has been wiped of any and all possible DNA traces. All vehicles going out of the Empire are being x-rayed, then infrared scanned, and finally, physically inspected to ensure he doesn't escape."

"And the ports?," The Emperor asked as he skimmed through the paperwork. "New Citium's port is having every outbound shipment inspected manually at the moment while the other ports are having specialized scanning devices set up on an expedited schedule.. The plan is to eventually set up large scale scanning units at each port but New Citium was deemed the most likely point of escape so manual examination for the meantime was determined the best course of action." The Emperor was liking what he was hearing. "You said that the scanning devices are being installed on an 'expedited' schedule.' Does that mean they were being set up anyways but on a more reasonable timetable?"

The liaison nodded their head. "Indeed. The seal of approval on the paperwork matches Emperor Proctor's, sir. We'd been worked on this project with outside contractors and were waiting on materials and approved building plans. The emergent situation appears to have pushed through any approvals that were stuck in limbo." The Emperor scoffed. "Tell me about it. And I meant that rhetorically, " he quickly corrected himself. The current Emperor knew a thing or two about that damn approval process. While he was somewhat calm and cool outside, inside he was full of questions. If Tomčić had allies, where were they? What was the ultimate goal for him? What other threat had occurred that warranted Herman to start working on large scale scanners at the port? Santiago never heard about any sort of threat, rumor or otherwise, that had been attempted through or near the ports. So, why were their plans for such devices waiting on the wings for several decades?

And where the hell is this damn Dragutin Tomčić?!

[Recuecn]

Reçuecian Revenge for Katzeburgian Catastrophe
By Georges Quint, Sportswriter

Fans across Reçueçn have come to refer to Les Licornes' ignominious defeat to Katzeburg two years ago as "The Katzetastrophy". [Translated from French: "La Katzestrophe."] The match came at the tail end of a qualifying attempt that saw the FNRF mishandle the search for a new manager, leading to high managerial turnover, low strategic consistency, and a failure to clinch a guaranteed World Cup berth. As the ÉNRF cycled through a revolving door of coaches, direct qualification slipped out of its fingers, sending it to a play-off against Katzeburg. Katzeburg, of course, would win the match, dooming Reçueçn to the Cup of Harmony where the team would eventually stabilize, recover, and then win the whole thing. Katzeburg, on the other hand, went on to its first World Cup where it put up strong showings against top sides Crpostran, Farfadillis, and Huayramarca.

As a nickname, "The Katzetastrophe" does not refer to the disappointment of losing a match against Katzeburg in particular. Katzeburg is an excellent team, likely one of the multiverse's top thirty sides or so. (The official WCC rankings tend to lag behind a team's actual skill level, since after all, the numbers can only ever be based on past games, not current ability.) But with so much at stake in a single game, the playoff against the Blue Cats was not just a letdown from Les Licornes at the moment everything was on the line, but also a culmination of several months of disappointment and failure from the team. Fans saw the loss as symbolic of many things: FNRF mismanagement, ÉNRF weakness, general Reçuecian overconfidence, and the end of the nation's World Cup dreams.

Fans at the Stade National were therefore thrilled when on Friday, Reçueçn exacted its revenge on the Katzeburg squad with a two-zero victory. Unlike the Katzetastrophe—a fast-paced, back-and-forth thriller that went to a breathtaking extra time finish—the match this time around avoided breakneck speed and displayed a more settled, cautious approach from both sides. Although the new squad for Les Licornes has only been playing for the nation for a few months, they have already familiarized themselves with the classic Reçuecian defensive formations and tactics, and resisted well when faced with the Blue Cat's high press. Although Les Licornes did not dominate possession, they found themselves more able to set the pace of the game than in their previous encounter with their opponents. By choosing a slower tempo it was comfortable with, Reçueçn managed to put itself in control even when it didn't have the ball. The two purposeful goals came in the forty-second and fifty-eighth minutes, the first a long-distance shot from Brauer and the second a Di Fiore free-kick headed in by Aguiar.

Some have been surprised at the strong performance of Reçueçn's new ÉNRF, the team that some are calling "The Scab Squad". Doubters point to some players' semi-pro or sometimes even amateur resumes, and imagine that the new Licornes must be the dregs of Reçuecian soccer. But like their Esportivan opponents, the new équipe nationale has been underrated.

It is easier to explain the Scab Squad's strong qualifying performance so far than an outside observer might think. The LNRF, Reçueçn's national soccer league, has not participated in IFCF competition for a few years and so there are few metrics to compare its strength to other nations. Additionally, due to Reçuecian law and sporting culture, no foreigners play in the LNRF and very few Reçuecians play abroad, making comparison even more difficult. The best benchmark has always been the ÉNRF's performance, since the team has always been made up entirely of LNRF players until the strike this year.

However, Reçueçn is a small nation, with a tiny league pyramid, and very little stratification, so one cannot extrapolate the data the same as in a different country. Although results for leagues below the Deuxième Championnat are not published internationally, soccer does exist at that level in Reçueçn, and the quality is not far beneath that of the professional leagues. The professional leagues consist of only the top two tiers in the LNRF, since the country is too small to support more professional players lower int he pyramid.

All that to say that even though players on the Scab Squad might technically be amateur or semi-pro, with little or no experience in Le Championnat or Le Deuxième Championnat, the difference in ability between them and the old team that is now on strike is not so great as it might be in a different country. If Les Licornes haven't proven themselves already, hopefully it will become clear as World Cup qualifying continues that Reçueçn is still just as much of a threat on the pitch as it always has been.

The LNRF player's union announced this week that it is confident in its position and hopes to have resolved the strike against the FNRF by the time Les Licornes are due to play their away leg against Katzeburg in a few months. If this is true, we might expect to see the line-up that takes the field against the Blue Cats be a totally new one for a second time in a row, potentially with Reçueçn's first female soccer players on the team. However, the federation has denied the claims made by the union and has announced that it has no plans to change its position.

Yves Sabatier, an FNRF spokesperson, said in a statement that "The ungrateful players who continue to strike against Le Championnat and the équipe nationale—their own nation's team—are a disgrace to this country. The fans and the sport deserve better. The federation will stick to its principles as it waits for the players to see reason, and we're ready to start league play again as soon as they come back."

Meanwhile, with no league of their own to watch this year, Reçuecian fans are tuning in to broadcasts of games from the IFCF's top associations in greater numbers.

[Valanora]

Four wins on the bounce had the side feeling good about themselves again after a bit of a slow start with dropping points in two of their first four games. While it was unlike the team to have dropped points like that, they knew that if they kept their heads down and kept pushing on, then the results would come good and sure enough they had. Archalit at home had been a rather tough bit of business, as the side was performing well above their ranking and was in contention for a top three spot, one of the automatic spots into the World Cup. Besides being the second ranked team in the world and the group favorite, there was another reason that the team was wanting to get qualification out of the way as soon as possible, as this World Cup was going to be hosted within their own region and two of the three hosts were their neighbors, with Banija and Siovanija and Teusland. It was already spoken about among the fans of when the Marauders did eventually punch their ticket to the World Cup that they hoped the team was drawn into one of those two nations rather than the third bidding partner in Squornshelous.

The irony being that a match against Squornshelous in World Cup 39 is what truly propelled Valanora from a good team who had had a bit of misfortune for their first few cycles but had turned around into consistent qualifiers and into one of the elite teams of the tournament. World Cup 39 was the first World Cup that was ever hosted in the Eternal Empire, the second WCC event that had been hosted there after the nation helped cohost a Baptism of Fire a few cycle before with The Lowland Clans. This tournament was hosted in cojuction with Capitalizt Slani, one of the factions of the lands later known as Paripana, and the faction whose bright minds brought about the UICA, from which the modern IFCF can trace back its roots. In the Quarterfinals the Marauders and Squornshelous would meet, the Marauders coming in as slight underdogs in the rankings but thought to have a fair shout of winning thanks to playing at home. What followed was one of the most memorable matches in Vanorian history, a ten goal thriller that was three all at the end of ninety and six to four for the home side at the end of the extra half hour.

That win really propelled Valanora into its dominant position that it would hold for much of the next fifteen or so cycles, where truly their only major rivals were Starblaydia, though eventually the likes of The Holy Empire, Candelaria and Marquez, and Cassadaigua would rise towards the end of that period to give the Marauders a real go of it. Though the team would go on to lose in the next round, the tide had shifted and the team would win their first World Cup in the next cycle and additional two within four cycles to send the Marauders quickly up to the dizzying heights among the best ever to have played in the sport. Though the titles would slow down, an additional two without twenty cycles of the first and none since the mid sixty editions, with more editions have happened since the last title since they won all five, the Marauders built an identity and legacy that few could match. While there were many important stops and reasons for that progression along the way, many in the Empire believe that knockout figure over the Red and Blacks is what was the game that changed the Marauders trajectory and turned them into what they would become.

However recent history has not been as kind, as in World Cup 97 the two teams met again, though this time it was in Rushmore and it was in the Final of the competition. The Marauders were looking for their sixth title, the break the record that they share with The Holy Empire, Starblaydia, and Vilita, while Squornshelous was merely happy to have made it as far as they did. By all measures, the Marauders were the odds on favorite for the game, they had all the skill and pedigree, they had not lost at all during the entire tournament even during the qualifiers, and they were simply better than the team across from them top to bottom. Football is a funny ol game though, as in the Final the defense had made mistakes that had not been present during any of the cycle beforehand and allowed Squornshelous to score goals, though the offense was matching. It would come down to spotkicks and all the luck that had been with the team from the start of the cycle vanished into the air, Squornshelous won the shootout and had one of the greatest upsets of all time in the Final. It would get worse a month later as they would host the Arrosia Regional Championship and the two would meet again in the title game, the same score and result held from the World Cup and the Marauders were lost for words. Yet it got worse two years later once more in the ARC Final, once more the Red and Blacks against the Marauders, and once more the northeastern team would win in a shootout.

While the squad knew there was plenty of football left to play, especially with a breath of revilement in a window where they get to play back to back home games, the team knows they do not want to be drawn into the northeast of the region should they indeed punch their ticket. It feels like the ghosts of the past when the Marauders made the name for themselves have come to haunt them in the present and give them a foe who seems to be able to stymie them at every turn in very bitter and humbling ways. The chase for the sixth might be on the forefront of most of the team's and fan's minds, but the budding rivalry that has begun between the Empire and Squornshelous lurks just behind the corner, a specter that haunts their dreams.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

BP take to the road for pair of crucial games
Scott McCrae
The Mail on Sunday Chief Soccer Writer

The Commonwealth National Team have reached the end of the first half of Group 6 play where back to back away matches loom as the table has gotten a bit crowded at the top.

Five teams are separated by just three points with the Bees next two opponents--sixth place Zirahuen on nine points and Qasden a point back in seventh--leading the pack of four that are just six points behind fifth place Loyo.

BP missed out on a chance to move into top spot with their 3-2 defeat to Devonta on matchday 8 but lay just two points back in a tie with Vaishnavaria on 16, as Saint Eleanor and HOT-DAMN look over their shoulders.

The return fixtures in the second half of the tournament seem to play out to BP's disadvantage as just four of the remaining 10 matches will be at home, including the visit of HOT-DAMN at the Queen Victoria Stadium on MD 13 and Loyo on MD 16 in Belle Haven.

Lineup vs Zirahuen MD9

Albertson; Frost, Lohmeyer, McKenzie; Douglas, D'Alessandro (c), Bryant, Howard; Grayson; Hardison, Khan
subs--Terwilliger, Andrews, Franklin, Taylor, Garfield, Kirby, Morgan, Ludwig, C. Boyle, Coleman, Everhart, Ikedieze

Lineup vs Qasden MD10

Cotterill; Andrews, Womack, A Jones; Martini, Garfield (c), Morgan, Prince; Shock; Coleman, Ikedieze
subs--Fraley, Frost, Franklin, Taylor, Kirby, C Boyle, Ludwig, Bryant, Chamberlain, Azikiwe, Khan, London

[Saterun]

After a solid two wins in WC99 qualifying, the Claws were feeling good. They had put themselves into a comfortable second, and wanted to enter the halfway mark strong. However, they still had a few games left before that point. Their next match was away, at New Crywyzyxycynya, hereafter known as NC. This was a real shootout, where Saterun's attacking stars shined. Although the opposition was able to sneak in two goals, the damage was largely controlled, giving the Claws an all important 3 points.

Although they were playing away from home, the Claws dominated from the outset. The outside midfielders were particularly impactful, as Crespo Antonsen and Hans-Jürgen Becker both made several successful dribbles in the first fifteen minutes. Antonsen even put in a well-placed cross for Maksymillian Bates, but the forward was just half a step too far behind and wasn't able to control his sliding shot. The Claws had built up approximately 0.32 of xG in the first 20 minutes, but nothing had stuck. However, that would all change in the 22nd minute. Vidar Washington saw Caesar Ibañez beginning to make a run through the back line, and played a slicing through ball to split the defenders. Ibañez managed to take the pass in stride, and burst towards goal with two centerbacks earing down on him. Just as he entered the box, a quick fake shot and cut-back gave the Tihon United man a bit of breathing room. Out of the corner of his eye, he was able to spot Bates making the lateral run, and played the ball across the box. Bates needed only one touch to control it before he curled it beyond the oncoming keeper. After a well-worked move, the Claws were in front.

They would strike twice more that half. In the 39th, Ibañez controlled a lobbed through ball from Becker, before flicking past the NC defender and hitting a clean shot that rifled the side netting. It was one of the better goals that Saterun had scored in qualifying, and really emphasized Ibañez's skill. He was quickly becoming the best player on the squad. The third goal came from an unlikely place. Off a corner in the 2nd minute of added time in the first half, Matt Saez rose above the rest to get in a header that shot past the NC goalkeeper. It was the defender's first NT goal, and he celebrated wildly. The Claws went into the half in firm control, and, with TJUN-ia trailing at Cobrio, the group was theirs to claim. However, an old enemy started to drift in. Handrix realized his players were becoming more complacent as the break wore on, and was barely able to get out a word before the second half started. It would certainly show.

The second half was much more even. The opposition started to push more, sensing the game slipping out of reach, and, in the 61st minute, it happened. A lazy pass back from Glenn Lundquist was intercepted by the NC striker, who skipped past Saez to break free of the Saterun defense. As he charged to the box, Abbas Alil came flying in. The players collided as Alil put in a desperate slide tackle, and the stadium roared with disapproval. The referee was unsure of the call, and eventually it went to a VAR review. After a brief review, Alil was shown to have connected with the opposing player's foot first. In addition to a penalty, the defender received a red card for halting a clear goalscoring opportunity, much to the dismay of the Saterun bench. The NC striker coolly converted the shot, cutting the difference down to two. However, Saterun would hit back a few minutes later, when a mazy Ibañez run ended in a shot dinked over the keeper. Ibañez had picked the ball up around 35 yards from goal, and had carried it through the NC defense to grab his second of the game. In what was starting to feel like a back-and-forth, though, NC would once again score, this time off a corner. After a deflected header bounced around the box for a couple of seconds, an NC foot found the ball and hit it past Abitatti into the net.

To round out the performance, however, Ibañez had one last trick. Out in the corner of the box in the 88th, he faked a pass in to Bates before getting past his marker. Near the goal line, with the keeper coming out to stop him, he wait until the last minute before he rolled it on to his other foot. The keeper took the bait, diving for a ball that wasn't there. Faced with an open net, he could hardly miss. The hat-trick gave him a perfect 10 rating, as Saterun closed out a very successful win. With TJUN-ia tying against Cobrio, the Claws were vaulted into first, albeit by a point. This was uncharted territory, but Handrix believed in his charges. They still had a long way to go, however, and up next was a very difficult match against Sargossa.

The game at the Adam Antwerp Arena proved much closer than the one against New Crywyzyxycynya, where Saterun's defenders really took center stage. In terms of ranking, the teams were about as evenly matched as possible being just 5 spots away from each other. However, even though it was close, Sargossa was the higher ranked team and Handrix knew his Claws would have to put in a special performance to beat them. It was a sunny day in Daxler, with an afternoon high of 72 F. Perfect weather for football.

While the Claws came out strong, they were obviously up against a good opponent, and neither team dominated from the outset. The match quickly settled into a conservative, passing-focused game, with Saterun leaning a bit more into attack than their defensive-minded opposition. The first chance came after about 17 minutes, when a neat passing move allowed Antonsen to break away from his marker. He found himself in acres of space, and carried the ball into the middle. After holding it for a second, he spotted Bates making a run through, and split the defense to give the forward a clean look on goal. Handrix was quickly realizing that this was a major strength in his side. All of his midfielders were very adept at playing splitting passes, and the athleticism of his forwards allowed them to receive the ball and take it to goal. This time, however, it wasn't to be. Antonio Reyes came off his line quickly, and Bates's rushed shot bounced painfully off the post before being cleared. The Claws had come within inches of scoring.

The game would become a bit more open after that chance, and, just before the halftime break, Saterun would finally seize an opportunity. Becker had a free-kick lined up just outside the box, and looked for all the world like he was going to shoot. He certainly fooled the wall, who dutifully jumped as his foot made connection with the ball. However, to their surprise, instead of flying towards the net, it sliced into the penalty area and was picked up by Washington. With no one around him, he was able to get off a clean shot, which slammed past Reyes. The Adam Antwerp Arena exploded into celebrations, and the Claws led by 1.

As the game progressed, Handrix shifted into a more defensively-minded approach. In the 77th minute, he brought on Masoud Shain for Lundquist, effectively giving Saterun a back 5 with three in the midfield and two strikers. It was a very defensive formation. Seeing their chance for much-needed points slip away, the Corsairs started to push. In the 81st minute, Enrique González burst forward off a defensive corner, and all of a sudden it was 4 on 3 in a quick counter-attack. The other Claws players raced to get back, but the Sargossans didn't slow down. Quickly line passes kept the ball in their possession, and the back 3 of Saez, Shain, and Alil struggled to keep their positioning. Just as the attack entered the box, Adrian Rodríguez darted between the lines, and ran onto a perfect González pass. Abitatti came off his line, and the whole stadium held their breath. Rodríguez managed to guide the ball past the charging Abiatti, and, as 50,000 people watched, it slipped just outside the post. It was an uncharacteristic miss, and would be the last big chance of the game.

Just like that, the Claws had won 4 on the bounce. It kept them in pole position on the table, and also gave some confidence that would be crucial in their next game. Pasarga was the highest ranked team in their qualifying group, and, although they had been relatively underperforming so far, sitting in fourth place, they were only 3 points behind the Claws. It was extremely tight at the top, and Saterun needed every point they could get to remain in contention.

[Vixette]

crush - seventeen/platonic love - snuper

Blanchefleur had a plan, and she was going to follow it through to a tee.

She remembered the intense jealousy she felt as she watched Félicien talk to others. She watched how animated they got as they spoke with him, and she felt an unnatural desire to push them away. She felt unhealthy. This… wanting, this yearning was unhealthy for her, but she couldn’t contain it. Was this a side effect of falling for someone?

She remembered the intense relief and pride she felt as Félicien walked up to her and struck a short conversation. It wasn’t anything significant; he was just talking to her about tactics. Still, she wanted him to talk to her more. Tell her all about the manager’s ideas. Tell her everything she needed to know, everything she had to do, everything he wanted of her… Throughout the entire training, her heart held onto the small snippets of conversations she had with him. Was this desire? Or something more sinister?

Blanchefleur, as much as she didn’t want to admit it, hated that Félicien was spending more time with others than he was with her. Granted, it was training, and when you were surrounded by some twenty-something other people it would make sense for him to interact with others. However, Blanchefleur was curious. She wanted to know what business Félicien had with others that would make them act so excitedly around him. Did they already know each other? Were they friends? Were they… more than friends?

Blanchefleur didn’t even want to consider that possibility. As far as she knew, Félicien was hers and no one else’s. It felt immature to be so territorial over him, but perhaps it was her carnal nature. As she pondered on it longer, she realised that she should have probably spent her time with Félicien more meaningfully. Sure, she did go out with him a few times, but half of those trips were to the goddamn park. She knew Félicien loved the park, but it was starting to get stale. She wanted their relationship to get more exciting.

In her free time, Blanchefleur planned what she wanted to do with Félicien. Should she bring him to do a makeover together? She had been fantasising how he would look once his appearance had been touched up. Would he still retain his calm, soft-spoken vibe? Or would he exude a far more manly, confident aura? She wanted to know more. She wanted to know more about him. What about a trip to the market? What fruits did he like? Which vendors were he familiar with? Wait, they could also go to the beach. She wanted to know what he really looked like. She wanted to unearth his figure, his figure under the formal librarian attire he would usually wear, or the goalkeeper jersey he would don. Was he chiseled like a statue sculpted by the finest craftsmen of Vixette? Or did he have a cute, chubby belly handle that was comfortable to sleep in?

Blanchefleur wanted to know Félicien more.

[Kamijiro]

Captain's Log, Days Twenty-Nine and Thirty-One. 'Captain Kyōji' Strikes Again!

The following is a speech-to-text entry from noted chūnibyō Kyōji Kirishima's daily journal of events. This entry was written prior to Kamijiro's match against Milchama. Words in brackets have been added for 'the commoners' who don't understand 'the true battle at hand.'

Captain's Log, training date twenty-nine. The Kamijiroan forces [National Team] have once again fallen on hard times. Coming into the qualifier, the Federation [the FA] was confident that a swift re-appearance in the World Cup proper was in order. However, the attackers, our greatest asset in our hunt for glory, have fallen silent once more. This means that we, the "Alliance of Midfielders", must take up the mantle of goalscoring and lead us to victory! We are only four points back of first and one point off of an auto-qualifying spot. To arms!

Captain's Log, supplemental. The attackers have emerged from their slumber! Lieutenant Sōji Kokubun scored twice in rapid succession to open the match. However, not all was well. Our defensive strategy was thoroughly exposed by the keen tactical mind of Milchamian Admiral [manager] Itay Makamura and we were skewered by their potent quadruple-attacking lineup, with Tamar Sessell scoring one just before the strategy re-assessment period [half-time]. Just after the re-assessment period, Admiral Makamura's strategies proved to be too potent for Admiral Kagawa's as we quickly conceded two more goals to Sessell and Simeon Ben Yonatan respectively. Just when it appeared all was lost, I charged up my true power: DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER HEAD-ATTACK! Admiral Kagawa, in his genius, sensed my powers overflowing from the tactical reserves section [the bench] and replaced Lieutenant Demiizu with CAPTAIN KIRISHIMA! General Katsu Fujiwara commandeered the power orb [literally a football] and deftly won a flanking duel before the orb was placed outside the boundaries by Milchama's Lieutenant Sirius McMillan. The arbitor of justice [the referee] awarded the Kamijiroan forces with a corner kick and CAPTAIN KIRISHIMA was in the perfect place once again to use his HEAD-ATTACK! Milchama's army was overwhelmed by the sheer power of my abilities in the air and the power orb sailed past Hand-User [goalkeeper] Ellie Hammond's outstretched hands and into the objective point [the goal] to even the scoring. The battle ended evenly, with both forces earning one point for their valiant efforts.

...

Captain's Log, training date thirty-one. The results elsewhere following the Kamijiroan force's epic battle with Milchama's army were unfavorable, which increased the gap on the galactic leaderboard [the group table] between the top place and the brave Kamijiroans to six points and three points to an auto-qualification place. Our next battle will be our toughest yet, with the impressive Captina Island being our next opponent on the battlefield. Their 18 points tops the leaderboards, as they have soundly defeated six of their seven opponents. It will be our duty to ensure that it would become seven of eight. Admiral Kagawa has looked notably agitated during the past training days, with the galactic press swarming him like flies. They question his leadership - how foolish and trivial. Admiral Kagawa is the perfect Admiral! He can sense when my powers are at their strongest and makes the correct tactical decisions to activate me from the reserves! They will see when we prevail against Captina Island.

Captain's Log, supplemental. Captina Island proved to be a formidable opponent, much as their leaderboard place suggested. However, another rescue mission for a singular point on the board was successful! An early blunder from Dark Commander [noted Narakugai Night Roses member] Akinari Akaminai caused the arbitor of justice to award a Hands-User versus Chosen Duelist [penalty taker] opportunity for the Captina Islands. Captina Island's Lieutenant Guiseppe Overstreet converted the opportunity, with the power orb nestling into the net with ease. Hands-User Kenichi Asumi correctly dove but the shot was too powerful. However, General Fujiwara would not allow this to stand! He and Ensign Keigo Nakaji combined for a maneuver worthy of an instant rank promotion to put the orb into the net to claw another draw from the jaws of defeat. Captain Kirishima's powers did not activate from within the tactical reserves section and Admiral Kagawa chose not to allow a weakened Captain to participate in the battle. A wise move, surely. May the Kamijiroan forces rise up the galactic leaderboards once more!

[Eshialand]

Clicking into Place
Valentine Z 1-3 Eshialand
Eshialand 4-1 Pakhomia

Whatever sort of cosmic juju needed to be conjured up to make the Eshian team perform like themselves again, any talks that needed to be had, or substitutions that needed to be made... they all came together as the Owls rolled into Valentine Z. Before the match, Kenny Morgan was adamant that this match right here had to be the tipping point: it was either now or never for this team to start acting like they were a 2nd seeded side, and somehow, some way, this was actually when it happened.

Harry Bruske put up a stellar performance in goal, just like he had in the World Cup against in the Owls' last meeting with Valentine Z, but as the team learned from that match, a good goalkeeping performance is nothing without goal support, and the goal support was right on point in this one. Keiar Forsen was finally back with two goals, quelling any questions about his performances as of late. Overall, between this match and the following one at home against Pakhomiya, this was the return to form that these Owls desperately needed ahead of their trip to Juvencus.

"I'm happy to see that the team is performing as expected again..." Kenny had to say after the Pakhomiya match. "I do think there is still a lot of work to be done to get into the World Cup, but this is exactly what we like to see. The Juvencus match will of course be a critical one, but seeing ourselves back up in second... that's a good feeling. This team is back, and everyone knows that now."

---

"Prime Minister Labbett, I know you know about--"
"Yes, yes Michael, I do..."

Michael Wylen often found himself as a go-between for the king and prime minister, every time the former was too busy to chat with the latter directly. After all, this was a part of his job description as the king's assistant. However, oftentimes he found himself chatting with the PM more directly, breaking the latest news to him and sometimes even just chatting it up. This, however, was a case of the former, as there was some major news that needed to be addressed.

The Eshian government had recently taken a very pro-Marignien stance on the matters in Vielfaltig, with Labbett disagreeing with the mere idea that pro-Marigny political parties could be considered extremist. However, his position, along with the positions of others in support of the sovereignty movement, was rattled by the events that happened at the very trial deciding this extremist classification: another act of extremism, this time one with fatal consequences.

"So what do we do with the Marigny situation now?"
"What can we do Michael?" Labbett asked him. "As much as I would like to say 'oh well clearly this says such and such a thing', it's not like we know anything about this. Was the perpetrator a separatist trying to wreak havoc on the system, or was it a ULA supporter trying to interrupt the appeal?"
"Anyone supporting Marigny would surely keep their head down and let the situation unfold, right?"
"Can you even say that Michael? Maybe they were too worried that the corruption in the system itself would lead to the appeal being denied, regardless of whether the PNM and MLG are extremist parties."
"Would that be worth making the situation worse?"
"I... can't say." Labbett replied, keeping his head down pensively. "There's a lot at play here, things are complicated. There's nothing we can do here except express our remorse for the victims and wait for the investigation to come up with something more concrete. You can't be too hasty when lives have been lost -- you have to tread carefully and keep the utmost respect for everyone involved."

Michael waited a bit before responding to this. "And what do we end up doing about the Marigny refugee program?" he asked. "After all, you never know who might secretly be an extremist now--"
"It is better to treat people with respect than to blindly doubt every single person who shows up on our borders asking for asylum. There's no real reason to stop people from coming into the country when they need a home. We shall let them keep coming, and if attacks happen in our borders, we deal with them at that time. No earlier."

Labbett then flipped on the TV, hoping for anything to distract from the difficult times at hand.

"Hello everyone and welcome back to ENN Sports, I'm your host Josh Seametzle and I'm here talking to Jamie Cartwright, who's just registered to represent Eshialand at the first Chess Battle Royale..."
"Ooo, a chess broadcast!" Michael said. "This should be fun!"
"...in Walbourg, Marigny!" Josh continued on the TV. "Jamie, are you excited for..."

Michael and Labbett stared at each other in abject horror. "We're sending Eshians to this?!" the prime minister questioned. "In fucking Walbourg?? Now??"
"I suppose there's no avoiding things now..." Michael replied. "Things are definitely getting serious."

[Sarzonia]

BREAKING NEWS
Woodstock Daily Mail

Rush to step down after World Cup

By Dave Harland
Staff Writer

Sarzonian national football team manager Caleb Rush announced after Sarzonia's shock 1-0 away loss to Vielfalting that he would resign as manager following the World Cup 99 cycle "regardless of outcome."

Rush said he discussed the matter with Incorporated Football Federation chairman Zack Wilson and technical director Horace Sandt and said it was "for the best."

"I haven't been able to give the position my all," Rush said in a hastily-assembled press conference at the Dave Wilson Athletic Complex the morning after the Vielfalting defeat. "There's been a few distractions I'd rather not discuss in depth right now, but suffice it to say I think it's for the best that I devote my full attention to them when we're finished playing. Rush said if the Stars qualify for a postseason tournament, be it the World Cup proper or the Cup of Harmony that he'd still manage the team.

"I made a commitment to this team that I would see it through to the end of the cycle," he said. "I'm not going to leave the team hanging. Making this decision now allows the IFF time to find the right fit for manager."

That may be easier said than done. Wilson declined to comment on Rush's resignation, saying he would address it later. However, Wilson was reported to have been "shocked and angered" by the decision.

"He thinks the world of Caleb," one source familiar with Wilson's thinking who asked not to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the discussions and their prominent place within the team said of Wilson's reaction to Rush's resignation. "He was fully expecting to roll into the historic century edition of the World Cup with Caleb running the show." Sandt, meanwhile shot down any thought that Rush's resignation was encouraged or even welcomed.

"I was blindsided," Sandt said. "I tried to talk him out of it, but he was hell bent on his decision. He's done an incredible job with this team in a short timeframe. You don't go from triple digits to back-to-back World Cup proper appearances and knockout round matches without being a damn good manager."

The players, meanwhile, were shocked by Rush's decision and team captain Ken Webb said he, goalkeeper John Wells and forward Spencer Wilson both hoped they could talk him into rescinding his resignation.

"None of us want anyone other than Caleb Rush managing this team," Webb said. "Wellsie, Spencer and I are going to try to talk to him tonight and see where he's at. Maybe we can talk some sense into him."

Another source familiar with Rush's thinking said he was trying to make sense of it.

"I don't think it's the results so far," he said. "Sure, the team isn't where we'd like to be right now, but there's still time left to salvage this campaign."

Fan reaction was about as stunned as that of the players.

"We're shocked," said Carli Bowman, an accountant at the Portland Iron Works satellite office in Somerset. "He's easily the best manager we've had since at least Franz Braddock and probably Dave Wilson himself," she said. "I don't even know if the Hall of Famers were better than him."

[Juvencus]

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

JUVEN CONSENSUS SEES IMPRESSIVE RESULTS

Juvencus is a diverse society spread all over a massive expanse of land, unified by a mutual ancestor, the Pomen. It is a melting pot for different linguistic groups, religions, different environments and all sorts of identities. The recent census is the first in nearly 30 years and as such, the population has expressed its concerns over an accurate calculation of the people identifying as Juven as well as all inhabitants within the national limits of Juvencus.

A total population of 160,560,777 people within the borders of Sonnelian Juvencus were counted, of which 135,890,102 were native Juven. Including the colonies, the total population is estimated to exceed 190 million people, however with difficulties of reaching the colonies for a concurrent census make calculations difficult and as such, there is a reliance on estimations.

There were three metrics which are central to Juven identity that stood out the most. Number 1 is linguistic identification - the most important marker for ideology, ethnicity and opportunities(at least in the past, though it is apparent today). While everyone is fluent in Pomenienze and Scudellois by law and necessity, first language speaker numbers have been surprising. Scudellois and Pomenienze always had near-equal numbers of first language speakers, but with higher birthrates in the West compared to the apathy of the Scudellois inhabitants has seen Pomenienze take an incredible lead, akin to late 19th century hegemony numbers. Sudjuven on the other has seen extensive usage in day to day life as well as with contact to faraway locations due to Juvencus' openness to distant foreign visitors, trade and other contact as well as high birthrate in the south.

The official languages of Juvencus are Pomenienze, Scudellois, Sudjuven, Qurijan, Poi, Arragoetara, Remu, Santmat, Illireshtja, Ampelonian, Pravoslav and Rau. The official percentages for first language speakers are as follows.

Pomenienze - 41%: With 65.8 million native speakers, Pomenienze is by far the most spoken native language in the nation. The blueprint of the wider Juven language, Pomenienze is dominant from media, formal contacts, day to day communications as well as all stereotypes associated with Juvencus. It is the official language of the Holy Emperor and the royal family of the nation, as well as the government. Despite only forming a plurality, its influence is immense and it has bled into all the other languages and popular cultures of Juvencus, whether forcefully or naturally.

Scudellois - 24%: A low birthrate compared to the rest of the nation as well as the opting of the natives of Scudelli to teach different first languages to their children has seen the language dip significantly in its share of first language speakers(numbering 38.5 million). Despite those worrysome results, which have sent shockwaves across the cosmopolitan East, the influence of the language is still on equal footing to Pomenienze. Popular culture, especially cinema, music and other forms of entertainment, whether legal or not have given it a different kind of status and its usage and necessity are immense if one wants to do business in Juvencus.

Sudjuven - 18.5%: The 29.6 million speakers are a result of the exceptionally high birthrate in the Sud, marked by a variety of reasons. Namely, the rise of Qurijan population(which we will discuss later) as well as the rise in importance of the Sudjuven language for commerce, trade and communication with many countries who speak really similar languages. If current trends continue, Sudjuven will take over Scudellois as the second most spoken first language in the nation in only 10 years, meanwhile it will be competitive against Pomenienze in the next 50 years for number of speakers.

Qurijan - 5.5%: Qurijan speakers are spread all over the nation, but the overwhelming majority of the 8.8 million speakers is concentrated in Cordoba, Cuori and their surroundings in the Sud. The great economic conditions have given rise to a higher birthrate for Qurijan individuals and as such its has managed to be the 4th most spread first language in the nation and by far the most different. Due to its usefulness in communications, especially with far away lands, it has also been given prestige unlike the afforementioned, with the exception of Sudjuven.

As for the rest, Poi sits at 4.5%, Arragoetara at 2%, Remu at 1.2%, Santmat at 0.6%, Illireshtja at 0.3%, Ampelonian at 0.2%, Pravoslav at 0.1% while people who opted for other languages, especially Drawkian, Terranean among others are at 2%.

Number 2, is ethnic identification. The recognised ethnicities of Juvencus are Juven, Osci, Qurijan, Drawkian, Tumbran, Quebecois. While the results are pretty homogenous, they still provide an interesting insight to how the population of Juvencus is split.

Juven - 84.63%: At a whopping 135,890,102 individuals, Juven natives constitute the majority of the inhabitants of Juvencus. Juven people have had an extensive presence in the region of north Suntae both in Juvencus and beyond its modern borders, while their influence in the region remains immense. Historically a population of great warriors, scientists, sea-fairers, jungle-conquerors and artists now Juven people are mostly known for their economic achievements as well as the nation's extensive presence in sports, especially football, on which it is the most successful Sonnel-based nation.

Qurijan - 5.5% At 8.8 million people, Qurijans are the largest minority in the nation. Their presence can be traced back to the 15th and 16th centuries when they were brought to Juvencus to work in the Crescent desert, mostly as merchants and miners. They have since left a big mark in the region, especially its culinary culture and religious diversity unlike most other spots in the nation.

Osci - 3.75% Osci people and their identification outside the Juven sphere is considered a big taboo within Juvencus. However, 6 million people identify as Osci, mostly concentrated in the South and Southwest of the nation. Owing to the similar nature to the Juven population and subsequent assimilation, the influence is negligible and usually considered within the larger Juven influence instead. Osci people are known for being profoundly religious as well as adept farmers and businesspeople. A lot of the time they opt for sports, as it is a way of being recognised and seen by the wider population.

Tumbran - 0.25%: A small chunk of the population, however an important minority when it comes to the internal affairs of the nation. Tumbrans constitute a highly politicised minority within the nation and they are very active in national as well as international politics, they also make a population of academics, philosophers and factory-workers. Their influence is not negligible, as their overwhelming academic influence has seen the spread of liberal ideals as well as more radical foreign polices stemming from their sowed roots.

Quebecois - 0.2%: An equally small chunk of the population but just as historically significant. Juven-Quebecois relations have centuries of past history, especially with Quebec's EXTENSIVE participation in the Unification War struggles with both manpower as well as arsenal. Within Juvencus there are two types of Quebecois people. Number 1, are descendants of the soldiers, known in Juvencus as Heroi and number 2 are those who have come to Juvencus after the late 19th/early 20th centuries, colloquially known as Quebi. Heroi are known to have a harsher attitude, like the Tumbrans highly politicised and due to the nature of their native language's similarity to Scudellois they are known as staunch defenders of its spread and rise. Heroi are known for being landowners and for introducing recreational drug usage in the nation. Quebi on the other are known to be much calmer, more involved in aspects such as fashion, beauty, entertainment(both cinema and... adult).

Drawkian - 0.1%: Drawkland and Juvencus have had consistent mingling, trade and mutual history for many centuries. Due to Drawkland's significantly more advanced technology, not many Drawkians call Juvencus home(sitting at 160 thousand, compared to 35 million Juven), many opting to instead vacation in Juvencus. The majority of such Drawkians are pensioners, rich businesspeople, former athletes and other celebrities wanting to escape the lights of Drawkland. Otherwise, they are history junkies who want to see the past unfold in front of their very eyes. Typically, they try to stay uninvolved from Juven society despite the absolute necessities and are usually seen in a positive light.

Others - 5.58%: Juvencus is a hotspot for immigration especially after its economy boom in the 1980's and its general rise in prominence multiversally especially after the 2010's. Populations such as Banijans, Montverd, Obamanian escapees, Josifski and others are located in the nation in search for freedoms(be it religious or political), better jobs or just a new start.

Last important metric is religion. While Juvencus is a Holy Empire based around Catholicism, for which it is the center of all across Sonnel, religious freedoms are guaranteed to everyone. Despite such freedoms, religiously the population is not as diverse as neighboring Oscioru yet still quite diverse. The officially recognised native religions of Juvencus are Catholic Christianity, Orthodoxy Christianity, Islam and Sonicrism. While others have unofficial recognision, they are not counted within the wider census.

Catholicism - 76%: Catholic Christianity is the heart of the Holy Empire and that is translated to a faithful of 122 million people. Spread all across the nation, most of them follow the lead of the Pope of OCEPS(Ordus Cardinalae et Papa Sonneliae), based within the city limits of Pomena. The Western and Southern sides of the nation are known to have more devout individuals than the East, due to differing circumstances. The majority of Catholics follow Pomena-Rite Catholicism, which is the most spread rite all across Sonnel though its native region is Juvencus and Eastern Oscioru. There are some Osci-Rite Catholics, mostly concentrated by the border with Oscioru where the majority of Osci minority live.

Islam - 5%: Mostly professed by the Qurijan minority in the nation concentrated in the center or south, it has been an important aspect of the Sud's history. Out of the 8.1 million faithful, the majority are Sunni muslims belonging to the Maliki maddhab with a significant Twelver Shi'a minority. Due to the decentralised nature of Islam, most look to all sorts of imams and scholars for spiritual guidance and education.

Sonicrism - 2.8%: Bled into Juvencus through extensive contact with Drawkians, Sonicrism has had significant impact through Juven history but has never found its way to be a religion that is spread to large swathes of people. Despite that, its presence is considered necessary within the nation and it is a respected religion. 4.4 million people are its adherents.

Orthodoxy - 0.75%: Orthodox Christianity never found enough ground to grow within Juvencus. Wars, isolation and a mass exodus of Orthodox Individuals towards Oscioru and the colonies has left the Orthodox community of Juvencus stagnant. 1.2 million members belong to the Juven Orthodox Church, a number that has more or less remained stable in the last 20 years and one that is expected to drop unless there are significant short term changes.

Other religions - 3.91%: Many religions have seen some spread within the nation, in particular Mormonism through the missionary work of Banijans, Judaism due to the proximity of Silver Beach and immigration as well as Protestantism and Juvacism(which lost its official status in the 1200s, due to its polytheistic nature).

Irreligion - 11.5%: Concentrated mostly in the East, there has been a rise in irreligious people over the past 30 years. Interdimensional and multiversal travel as well as contact with faraway civilisation has rendered the need for a religious identity obsolete to this people. Such rise is considered a direct threat to the government in Pomena and the very identity of the nation by some. Despite that, they are surprisingly amongst the most patriotic people in the nation, regardless of their calmer demeanor on average. Numbering 18.4 million people, they are numerous and known to be vocal.

[The North Polish Union]

Gazeta Współczesna Białostocka
-– Investing in Eastern Poland’s Communities for Over 70 Years! --

LITHUANIAN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT ANNULS REGIONAL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, NEW ELECTIONS TO BE HELD

Vilnius - In a landmark decision, the Constitutional Court of Lithuania has annulled the first round of the region’s presidential election and ordered a new first round to be organized and held. The highly contentious first round had seen populists Domantas Sabonis and Neringa Barauskaitė proceed to the presumptive runoff, although both have faced legal allegations in the lead-up to and following the first round.

Barauskaitė’s second-placed campaign had faced allegations that some votes for a minor candidate had been improperly transferred to her. As she secured second place by just over 1,000 votes ahead of third-place Prime Minister Simonas Šapoka it was claimed that these improper votes had pushed her into the runoff. Although the Court initially accepted the case and demanded a recount, it was still ongoing and putatively did not factor into their decision to annul the election.

The Court’s decision stems from “grave irregularities” in the campaign financing of Domantas Sabonis, whose campaign declared zero spending and claimed to be entirely run by volunteers. Subsequent investigation, the Court said, showed that Sabonis had received undeclared donations of δ5,000,000 from unknown third parties.

The undeclared funding comes as Sabonis, prior to the election an agronomist who spent his entire career in Lithuania’s Slavic southeast, has been accused of connections to banned Belarusian separatist and nationalist groups. The Court is currently investigating claims that Sabonis has “supported terrorism or otherwise aided and abetted illegal extremist groups”. Prosecutors are in the process of searching properties across the country in an investigation into money laundering and illegal financial transactions related to the campaign of an undisclosed candidate, widely believed to be Sabonis.

The annulment has been condemned by both Sabonis and Barauskaitė. Barauskaitė called it “illegal and immoral, destroying the very essence of democracy”, and accused the region’s entrenched political establishment of clinging to power. Sabonis and fourth-placed Svajūnas Žukauskas (most of whose votes were expected to go to Sabonis in the second round) both described the verdict as a coup d'état and an “extraordinarily dangerous step”. Prime Minister Šapoka, meanwhile, called the annulment “the only correct decision”, saying that “the issue is not just about Sabonis or his funding, but also about a broader topic: the ability of the public to trust in the transparency, and therefore also the fairness and reliability of elections”.

Sabonis and his supporters have announced their intention to protest at the Constitutional Court in the coming days, and street protests have begun across the southeast of the region, with numbers of protesters potentially in the tens of thousands.

At the federal level, the National Supreme Court in Gdańsk rejected an appeal by Sabonis to reverse the annulment, saying that it did not have jurisdiction over the case. However, other federal politicians have taken stances more supportive of Sabonis, with Federal President Arnold Swoboda tasking a Senate committee with preparing a report on the appropriate steps to take when the results of an election are in doubt and then examine whether the Lithuanian government handled the situation well. Dagobert Klemp, Swoboda’s Vice President, was more openly critical of the annulment, saying “if Lithuania’s democracy will be killed with a few digital advertisements, then from the beginning it was not very strong” and that the Lithuanian court annulled the elections under “weak suspicions trumped up by its regional police force and enormous pressure from its political establishment”.

[The Osnari Federation]

A Return

Gido Mullis had been on the bus ride over to Aditya Varma Kulashekara International Stadium several times before. Four times, in fact. The first time had been a 2-2 draw with Zirahuen, the first match of the Baptism of Fire. Gido had scored in that one, putting on a bit of speed to get behind their back line. The draw had been disappointing at the time, but considering Zirahuen’s performance later in the tournament, it was a pretty good result. The second time was against Thaeloria on the second day of the Baptism of Fire Group Stage. A big win, that one was. He’d picked up an assist, a nifty pass to Jost, then scored himself later in the match, that time off a pass by Werner. The third had been a bit of a mess. A 2-2 draw with Epicly Amazing Giraffes, a team that failed to live up to any of the expectations of their name. They were neither epic, nor amazing, nor did they have Giraffes. Exceptionally disappointing, as had been the Eagles’ performance in that match. Jost had scored, and then Werner had notched the clutch late free kick to make the draw and bring the Eagles through to the knockouts. It was a mess, though.

The first three matches in Aditya Varma Kulashekara International Stadium featured crowds that did not even come close to filling the stadium. Here were four footballing upstarts in the Group Stage; nobody knew who was good, and consequently, they did not want to spend their money on tickets. This was just as much the problem for the Osnari fans, who were still getting used to the idea of a national team to root for, let alone the idea that that national team might be worth dumping a lot of money to go watch play in a relatively low-key tournament they might not even be competitive in.

The same could not be said Gido Mullis’s fourth match at Aditya Varma Kulashekara International Stadium. Two national teams had proven their excellence after six matches, winning their way through the knockout stages until they met in the final, at the same stadium they had seen each other on Matchday One. The upstarts from Zirahuen, brand-new to football but killing it nevertheless. The Eagles of the Osnari Federation, a footballing country with a ton of history making their international debut. The media could sell this, and boy did they. The Baptism of Fire had produced one hell of a storyline, and the demand was there for tickets to the match. Somehow, the Baptism of Fire final sold out of its over 100,000 tickets. Many of those fans hailed from the Federation, a fanbase that had made each match in Indusse feel almost like a home game. They did so again in the final, screaming, cheering, motivating their national team to victory. Scoreless through the first half, but in the 63rd minute Gido had dribbled around a Zirahuen defender, nipped into the box, and ripped a shot in on the far side of the goal. The Zirahuen keeper was out of position and slow to react. Gido had scored plenty of times before. He’d even scored in finals back home. But this, this was something different. He had fans from around the Federation chanting his name. Back home, he’d be hated and booed, a side effect of playing for far and away the most dominant club in the Eliteliga this century. Here, the same fans wanted him to succeed. To win. He’d give them exactly that. A well-placed pass back to Werner in the 87th sealed the deal, as the midfielder crushed the ball past the Zirahuen keeper to seal the match.

When the final whistle sounded, Gido collapsed to the ground in elation. They’d done it. They’d won. The Osnari Federation’s first-ever international trophy, secured right there at Aditya Varma Kulashekara International Stadium.

But today, there would be no trophy. No new-to-football teams to face off against. Certainly no Osnari crowd domination. The Eagles had never been defeated on Indusse soil. The Eagles had never played Indusse. The more gaming-inclined folks in the media had compared it to a boss fight. The Eagles had beaten all of the leadup teams, been the victors in Indusse no less than five times. But here they would find an opponent far stronger than the teams they had beaten before. The Indusse national team, ranked 60th in the world, sitting five points above the Eagles in World Cup Qualifying. In front of well over a hundred thousand screaming home fans. The Eagles had played in a few different countries by now, but they’d be hard-pressed to find a more hostile environment than this.

That was clear as the Osnari bus pulled up to the stadium. The streets of New Hind City were filled with Indusse fans in the deep blue and striking orange kits of their national team. Red, white, and green shirts were nowhere to be seen. Not too many Osnaris were willing to fly all the way out to Thegye for a non-final match.

The bus came to a stop at the teams’ entrance to the stadium. The Eagles disembarked, walking down the short walkway to the entrance. There were already a few thousand fans lining the fences, trying to get a good look at the players, moreso those from Indusse than the Osnaris that they were less interested in. They entered the depths of the stadium, dropping their stuff in the dressing room and quickly changing to get out and get their early drills in and feel out the pitch. Immediately as Gido walked out, he remembered that moment as the whistle blew on the final, already a few months past. The team went through their drills, then headed back in for a talk from Nathan. Gido would later be unable to recall what Nathan had said to them.

The players were called out, lining up alongside their Indusse counterparts and then walking out onto the pitch.

Deafening.

Insane.

Gido had played a lot of football, but never in front of a crowd like this.

The Baptism of Fire final had sold out. But this match was sold out. An absolute cacophony of a home crowd in the massive majority cheering for their team. Gido had never, ever, seen something like this.

The players lined up in their positions. The Eagles would be kicking off.

Deep breaths.

Deep breaths.

The referee’s whistle went.

Jost kicked off.

The cacophony started once again.

[Aleirave]

Is This the Aleirave You're Looking For?
Gopnikea 1-4 Aleirave
Aleirave 4-1 Baggieland

Haulafo was seriously wondering whether Tatyana would be the solution to the team's problems. She may have looked good against Safiloa, but that was far from the sort of competition she needed to be tested against to tell whether she actually was the next big thing. The win in Gopnikea was another huge boon to the Seagulls' morale, but once again, that was Gopnikea. Frankly, that was never going to be the test of skill that was required for this side. What she needed was a match against a team in proper qualifying contention, the likes of which Aleirave would need to defeat to make it back to the big dance themselves.

Enter Baggieland. They may have gotten three shutout losses in their group in the last World Cup, but they were still undoubtedly a World Cup team, and they were on top of the group heading into their trip to Lahaira. In fact, they had been undefeated before taking a difficult loss at home to Yuezhou! If ever there was a match to test whether this Aleirave team and its new goalkeeper were performing at their absolute best, this would be it. Should the Seagulls lose, according to Haulafo, "the second half will be one of the most difficult comebacks we've ever been faced with." But if they won? Frankly, winning wasn't even a part of the conversation, but dreams could be dreamt all people wanted to dream them.

Right off the opening whistle, the energy could be felt from this team. What once had been a soulless grind through more and more games hoping things would magically get better was all of a sudden a push, a drive to actually get these wins in... and it was very quickly paying dividends, as it took just seven minutes for Fyodor Veshchik to beat Ben Osborne with a stunning header. Those first seven minutes would be the closest the game got, as the Seagulls ran up the score to a final mark of 4-1.

To her credit, Yusenika did exactly what she needed to do in goal: Jeff Richardson did beat her once in the 48th, but she remained solid throughout and didn't let the blip on the scoreboard do any damage to her mental. This was a young player on a beautiful upward trajectory.

"I've had an honechat with both Tatyana and Falena [Rukipiato]..." Haulafo said at the post-match press conference, "and we've agreed that, going forward, Tatyana has earned herself the spot as our starting goalkeeper. Falena will be staying around to serve in times of great need, but..."

Haulafo had a little trouble finishing his sentence here. It was hard to face saying goodbye to someone who he'd known for so long, but here it was. It was just about time.

"...she feels that this may be her final season of playing international football with us. This was a very difficult conversation to have, but she doesn't think she can perform in the way our island deserves. Obviously, she's served us extremely well over these past 9 years, being our first choice goalkeeper since day one... but sometimes things must end.

"I would like to discuss at a later date what her options could be to keep supporting this team, since I do think she can do a lot more for us, even if not in a playing capacity... but that's a conversation for another time and date, obviously. For now, I just want to make sure she knows that everyone here on the island appreciates her and the hard work she's put in in goal. We're obviously not much of a defensively-oriented team, but her contributions have been absolutely invaluable and she's been a rock for us. As much as I can't wait to see the future that Tatyana will bring us in goal, it'll be hard to let her go."

---

That future, the one where Tatyana serves as the default starting keeper, will begin in the Seagulls' next match, set to take place in Yuezhou. The first seeds may have been sitting in third at the moment, but looks can be deceiving -- they were just a single point off of first-placed (and seventh-seeded!) Visayas Islands and only behind Baggieland on point differential (although if the qualifiers ended tomorrow, the Dragons would finish second by virtue of their head to head win). This was a tight group that anybody could win, and Yuezhou were going to try their hardest to win it, even if a high-scoring draw in West Vdara had thrown a bit of a monkey wrench in their plans. Haulafo's plan for this matchup?

"West Vdara showed us that the right team with the right amount of scoring can keep pace with the Dragons and snag good points. All we have to do is follow in their footsteps, add in a dash of Tatyana's goalkeeping magic, and we should come out on top. It's all a matter of execution... and with the momentum we have, we can absolutely execute it."

[Flavovespia]

Goals Galore For Flavovespia

Flavovespia’s encounter with United Hawkland saw 9 goals go in, with Flavovespia thankfully bagging 5 of them. That’s not counting a clumsy own goal that made the final stages too nervy. A win is a win, but defensive fragility remains a concern.

The opener simply isn’t a goal you can fault Flavovespia for. United Hawkland’s first shot at goal, from about 25 metres out, curled perfectly into the top corner. Everyone in Saints Park was stunned, and Flavovespia fell behind.

However by the break it was 3-1. Bagshaw equalised, with finesse down the wing, cutting inside and scoring a tidy finish. Frank Johnson gave Flavovespia the lead with a well timed half volley on the edge of the box. Charles Shepherd made it 3-1, with a good turn and shot by the penalty spot. Half time, and it was a positive game so far for Flavovespia.

United Hawkland would score almost from the second half kick off. Miscommunication between Paul Amos and David Jarvis allowed the striker in, and his shot beat Marriott, the goalkeeper a little surprised and maybe could’ve saved it another day. This though didn’t worry Flavovespia too much, and with 20 minutes to go they made it 5-2, both Bagshaw and Shepherd scoring again.

However defence proved to be a sticking point for Flavovespia again. A 3rd goal was conceded in the 74th minute, when a header from a corner awkwardly bounced near the post, off the post, and just over the line with Marriott not parrying it well enough. 85 minutes in, and John Brocklehurst flicked a cross straight over Marriott and into his own goal. Flavovespia were on the back foot, but clawed it together to hold on and win 5-4. A win is a win, but this shaky qualifying campaign needs a good result soon to settle things.
Alexander Schmitt

Defensive Display Dispels Danger

Flavovespia’s visit to REPUBLICANLAND saw them secure a second consecutive away clean sheet, and avoid an upset at a stage where few of their rivals to qualify were dropping points.

The squad was rotated, although a few key players remained, notably Peter Marriott. Calls to drop him were ignored, and he remained in goal. Not that he had much to do early on, there were few chances from REPUBLICANLAND. Flavovespia looked on top, but were trying to ensure there were no chances to be hit on the counter.

David Atkinson got the opening goal 31 minutes in. Sustained pressure by Flavovespia paid off, one too many chances were played back into danger, and Atkinson leapt on this one, a placed shot to find the goal. Flavovespia could’ve had more, but went in at the break leading, and with no shots on target conceded.

Frank Johnson doubled the lead in the 57th minute. A quick break from a Stan Scott-Wilson long ball, a failed challenge that didn’t dispossess Johnson, and he was away. The keeper rushed out, but was chipped and Flavovespia had goal number two. A composed finish, for a composed performance.

The rest of the game was a somewhat uninspiring affair, truth be told. REPUBLICANLAND lacked the ability to truly test Flavovespia, one shot on target was easily saved. Flavovespia seemed content to defend a 2 goal lead with little attacking risk. The win sent Flavovespia to 3rd, but with a tough away game against Zenic coming up, finishing in that position at the end of the first half of qualifying will not be a walk in the park.
Judd Stafford

[Pyazhnaya]

Match Report: Pyazhnaya 3–0 Shep

At last, Pyazhnaya’s flair and resilience under new head coach Aleksandra Agratova were on full display as they comfortably dispatched Shep 3–0 in front of an electrified home crowd. This win marks another step in Agratova’s tenure as she tries to shift Pyazhnaya from its storied underachievements to true contenders for a first-ever qualification to a World Cup proper.

First Half: Seizing Control

Right from kickoff, Pyazhnaya’s trademark 4-4-2 formation allowed them to control the tempo. The midfield duo of Aleksandra Novoseltseva and Misha Retyunskikh grabbed the reins of the game early on with feathering passes that sliced through Shep’s defensive lines. Pyazhnaya’s wingers, Timofey Aristarkhov and Danila Terentyev, bombarded the flanks with crosses and created constant danger.

The breakthrough came in the 22nd minute. A sharp interchange between Novoseltseva and Terentyev allowed Danila Mukhametshin to burst into the box, where he calmly slotted the ball past the Shep goalkeeper. Mukhametshin’s goal, a result of crisp passing and the extreme pressing the Pyazhnayans had put on Shep, ignited the stadium.

Pyazhnaya doubled their lead just before halftime. A corner by Terentyev found towering center-back Fyodor Solodnikov, who leapt above everyone to power a header into the net.

Second Half: Domination and Sealing the Win

Agratova’s side maintained their high pressing into the second half. Maksimilian Kartashov’s movement kept Shep’s defenders on edge, and his persistence paid off in the 64th minute when he latched onto a through ball from Aristarkhov and coolly finished into the bottom corner for Pyazhnaya’s third.

Shep rarely threatened Pyazhnaya’s defense, with Elisey Moroshkin in goal enjoying a quiet evening, entertaining the home faithful with exaggerated jumps even for the most harmless of shot. Ayrat Bilyaletdinov’s overlapping runs and Serafima Vakhrushev’s defensive composure ensured the visitors had little chance to muster any comeback.

Late substitutions saw Varvara Zavrazina replace Moroshkin in goal and Naira Akhatova bolster the defense, preserving the clean sheet. Agratova’s tactical flexibility and Pyazhnaya’s depth were clear for all to see.

Final Whistle

The 3-0 scoreline did not even remotely reflect Pyazhnaya’s absolute dominance against a toothless opponent, with Agratova’s approach—maintaining a structured formation while unleashing creative wide players—paying dividends. This win sends a clear message: Pyazhnaya is no longer content with starting reasonably strong and then fading out of existence.

---

Match Report: Calgasia 0–0 Pyazhnaya

If Pyazhnaya’s previous match showcased their attacking prowess, their 0–0 draw away against Calgasia highlighted their defensive discipline and ability to grind out results under pressure. In a match where both goal keepers did not see a lot of action and midfield battles felt more like a war of attrition than a football game, both teams ultimately shared the spoils.

First Half: Tactical Stalemate

Calgasia, with their physical 3-5-2 formation and strong wing play, started brightly, trying to unsettle Pyazhnaya’s backline of Vakhrushev, Solodnikov, Ilyushin, and Bilyaletdinov. However, Pyazhnaya’s center backs stood firm, with Solodnikov and Ilyushin neutralizing aerial threats from Calgasia’s Jan Novák and Gloria Renner.

Pyazhnaya’s midfield struggled to impose the same dominance as against Shep. Voss, Bohren, and Szabó controlled possession for Calgasia, pinning Pyazhnaya back at times. Yet, Novoseltseva and Retyunskikh worked tirelessly to break up play and launch counterattacks. Aristarkhov and Terentyev found it harder to penetrate Calgasia’s wingbacks, with Károly Hájos and Xaver Webern doubling up defensively.

Second Half: Grit Over Glamour

The pattern continued into the second half. Maksimilian Kartashov and Mukhametshin were closely marked by Stefan Andris and Martin Kargel, limiting Pyazhnaya’s ability to break through. On the other end, Moroshkin was called into action twice—first to parry a dangerous free kick from Szabó, and then to tip a stinging drive from Renner over the bar.

Pyazhnaya nearly snatched a late winner when substitute Vsevolod Bogolyubsky—on for Mukhametshin—found space in the box, but his header was brilliantly saved by Calgasia’s reliable goalkeeper Josef Kaltenbrunner.

Despite both sides pushing for a decisive goal in the final ten minutes, the defenses held firm. Raisa Safiullina’s late introduction for Pyazhnaya added some midfield steel, ensuring Calgasia’s creative sparks—Sedlácek and Biró—were kept in check.

Final Whistle

The 0–0 result was a fair reflection of a game where both sides prioritized caution over risk. For Pyazhnaya, it was a valuable away point, demonstrating their growth in defensive organization under Agratova. For Calgasia, it was a frustrating draw, but one that showcased their ability to shut down an in-form Pyazhnayan attack.

Pyazhnaya now looks ahead with cautious optimism: the offence can dazzle, and the defence can hold the line. If Agratova can find the balance, her team could finally shed its tag of perennial underachievers.

---

The Great Krasnograd Scavenger Hunt
In the heart of Krasnograd’s cobbled old town, with its leaning lamp posts, faded murals of heroic tractor drivers, and suspiciously leaning onion domes, the players embarked on a team-building scavenger hunt like no other. The sun was high, the air smelled faintly of pickled cabbage, and Coach Agratova’s instructions were simple: “Find these seven items, get back to the square before the other team, and for God’s sake, don’t get arrested.”

Two teams formed fast. On one side, the dynamic duo of Danila Terentyev and Danila Mukhametshin – collectively known by the squad as “Double Trouble” – were already plotting mischief. On the other, Team Kartashov-Mordvinova – newly dubbed “Team Lovebirds” – wore matching determined smiles.

“Alright, Mukhametshin,” Terentyev said, slinging an arm around his co-conspirator, “let’s show these two how it’s done. Scavenger hunting is 30% skill, 70% chaos.”

They sprinted into the old town, leaving behind a trail of confused tourists and one startled cat. Their first item was easy: a faded red propaganda poster. Terentyev smooth-talked an elderly shopkeeper while Mukhametshin scaled the wall to peel it off. They high-fived and dashed to the next clue.

Meanwhile, Kartashov and Mordvinova approached their tasks methodically – but with heart. When they reached the clue about the statue of the pigeon-riding cosmonaut, Mordvinova charmed a nearby babushka out of a knitted cat hat. Kartashov hoisted her up to crown the statue, while they snapped a triumphant selfie.

Across town, the Danilas were getting… creative. They found a local café, where Terentyev borrowed (or “liberated,” as he put it) a decorative vase to stand in for a “historic artifact.” Mukhametshin, meanwhile, convinced a street performer to lend them a set of juggling clubs as a “cultural relic.”

Their pièce de résistance came with the final clue: “Find and serenade a local legend with a love song.” Kartashov and Mordvinova found an elderly accordion player, Yuri, and together sang a heartfelt, if off-key, Pyazhnayan love ballad that drew claps from the crowd.

But the Danilas had other ideas.

“Quick, Mukhametshin! There’s that guy with the enormous moustache – he’s a legend in his own right!” Terentyev pointed to a burly vendor known locally as Boris the Borscht King. They rushed up to him, whipped out a borrowed ukulele, and burst into a loud, comically terrible rendition of a pop hit. Boris, initially bewildered, eventually joined in, clapping along while his wife filmed the whole spectacle on her phone.

As both teams raced back to the square, the Danilas arrived with an oversized stuffed bear (procured from a startled souvenir shop owner), a decorative vase, and video evidence of their musical mayhem. Kartashov and Mordvinova returned moments later, holding hands and carrying their neatly completed checklist, the pigeon-cosmonaut selfie proudly displayed.

Coach Agratova surveyed the chaos: the Danilas panting and disheveled, Kartashov and Mordvinova glowing with quiet triumph.

“I’m calling it a tie,” Agratova said, rubbing her temples. “Because honestly, I don’t even know what half this stuff is.”

“Sounds like victory to me!” Terentyev grinned, slinging the stuffed bear over his shoulder.

“And we didn’t get arrested!” Mukhametshin added cheerfully.

[Oberour Ar Moro]

Mathieu picks up on the sixth ring. "Hey dad," he starts. It sounded as though he was suppressing a sigh before he spoke.

"Hello Mathieu."

I'm sitting at a desk at the Tourbillon Forest Football Training Center. The very nerve center of Oberour football. My desk. My training center. Every fiber of Oberour football winds and gathers here.

"What's up?" Mathieu asks. Non-chalant. Purposefully. Fictionally.

"I've tried to call you a couple times today and you haven't picked up." He's avoiding me. My son is avoiding trying to speak to me.

"I've just been busy, sorry." Shouldn't he be at home. Shouldn't I be at home?

I'm sitting at my desk. It's macassar ebony, they say. Polished to a mirror sheen every single night after I leave. My laptop sits on the top, closed. A picture of my wife and my kids stares at me. They're smiling.

I'm not smiling now.

"I was talking with Yves Durerie," I say. My long-time assistant. The only one I could trust to carry on my work. Now head coach at Bécherel University. My replacement. I am irreplaceable.

"Uh-huh," says Mathieu. Guarded. There's a wall. He knows what I'm about to ask about.

"Yves said you haven't put your name in for the team." Mathieu Ginguené should be a forward. He'd be on the team even without the name. He's that good. Scoring goals. Wearing yellow and black. Ginguené on the back of the shirt.

Mathieu responds immediately. "I'm not going to play football."

I'm stabbed. "You're not."

"I'm done."

The Forest's training grounds spread out below my office to my right. The grass is a carpet. Immaculate. The fields are surrounded by the Forest. It goes for kilometers in every direction.

"What are you doing?" What is my son doing? Why is he making this decision? Why is he turning his back on me?

"I'm going to be just a student," he says. He sounds resigned. Did he want to fight? Blow up? It's all worn out of him already. But he's certain. "I think I'll study Azertienne. I don't know."

I'm not sure what to say. In this room there are some couches and chairs, all extremely comfortable. Tables. Comfortable chairs. A touchscreen and whiteboard wall, ready for gameplans no one can question.

Mathieu continues. "I don't love football, dad. I haven't loved it in a long time. It's just an obligation. An obligation to you. And now I'm going to college and I'm going to do other stuff. You're not there and I'm moving to the dorms and I'll just be a student."

Behind me is a bookshelf. Full of books on strategy, on Oberour Ar Moro football, on world football. A signed Jeremy Jaffacake memior I was gifted is lying there, cover down.

"The Becherel University football team without a Ginguené?" I ask. It's impossible to envision.

Mathieu scoffs. "There is a statue of you," he emphasizes the you. He doesn't relate to it. "Right there outside the stadium. I think there's plenty of Ginguené there already."

Mathieu makes some excuse and terminates the call before I can tell him that I love him. I don't remember the last time I told him that. I could text him. But what would I say? Good luck studying Azertienne?

This office is massive. I am such a small part of something so much larger. So large I can't even tell.

[Kwrpania]

---

SPORT

Electric Eels roll to remain undefeated

KWRPANMAP, CAPITAL PROVINCE – Four points from the window was enough to extend the Kwrpan national side's lead at the top of Group 4 in World Cup 99 qualification.

First up for the Electric Eels came the arrival of Sudilia to the National Stadium in Tydebwg. The visitors had a strong start to qualification, but were on a four-game losing streak coming into the match, and confidence was high in the Kwrpan camp in the potential for yet another upset over a higher-seeded team. The Kwrpan started the brighter, too, with an early palm-stinger from Magnws-rym only able to be parried into the path of Central winger Pabofen-nam, who slotted home his first Kwrpania goal in his second appearance for the national side. The game would peter out into a low-quality affair, however, with neither side truly able to create chances on a slow pitch at the National Stadium following hours of rain prior to kickoff. More quality would come, however, and unfortunately for the home side, it came from the Sudilians. Attacking midfielder Mateo Laprise found an excellent diagonal ball through the Kwrpan defense that left right winger Daniel Bourne one-on-one with the keeper, and he kept his cool and slid the ball around Fakswr-rof to equalize late on. That would be the last action of the game as well, with a hopeful shot from Magnws-rab sailing well over the bar indicating full time.

The visit of bottom-ranked Tevuekk to Capital Park in Kwrpanmap provided the opportunity to get back to winning ways, and a heavily rotated Kwrpan side still dominated whistle-to-whistle. Central winger Vabwpetob-zok opened the scoring, finding a loose ball in midfield and beating two defenders before smashing the ball into the bottom left corner. The Kwrpan would pepper the Tevuekk goal throughout, registering 23 shots (with 14 on target), and the pressure would pay off again with less than ten minutes to play, as Tranquility striker Venzemtyr-map was brought down in the area for a penalty, which he duly dispatched for his first national team goal on his debut, and putting the game well out of reach for the visitors.

"Four points is a successful window for us, even if we would have liked to get all six at home", came the thoughts of manager Dobgazoz-bof, "but qualification is all about accumulating points in every game, home or away, no matter the opponent, and we continue to do an excellent job of that accumulation." Up next for the Electric Eels is a trip to Valentine Z to play the 4th-placed Kittens and complete the first round-robin of the 18-game qualification tournament, before a trip to Pakhomiya to meet the side that Kwrpania defeated 6-3 in Tydebwg to open qualification. Both matches, as with all remaining World Cup qualification matches, will be broadcast live on KBN1, with pre-match coverage beginning two hours before kickoff. Tickets to Kwrpan home matches are available at www.kff.co.kwr/byva.

Kwrpania 1-1 Sudilia
National Stadium, Tydebwg, North Province, Kwrpania
Lineup: Fakswr-rof; Rynropeka-mwń, Petobsw-nam, Fandwrsw-vyz, Petobzoz-tyb; Pabofen-nam, Vabwpetob-zok, Magnws-rab, Taftyr-mwń; Magnws-rym, Vabwpro-pyt
Goals: Pabofen-nam 3', Bourne 88'

Kwrpania 2-0 Tevuekk
Capital Park, Kwrpanmap, Capital Province, Kwrpania
Lineup: Pykpyzwba-nam; Synydwb-pyt, Petobsw-nam, Fandwrsw-vyz, Mamzwb-bab; Pykpytyr-myf, Vabwpetob-zok, Gofanws-vyn, Taftyr-mwń; Magnws-fen, Venzemtyr-map
Goals: Vabwpetob-zok 18', Venzemtyr-map 82'

Valentine Z vs. Kwrpania
Fate Stadium, Naypyithaw, Burma, Valentine Z
Projected Lineup: Fakswr-rof; Synydwb-pyt, Petobsw-nam, Bezypman-bof, Mamzwb-bab; Pykpytyr-myf, Vabwpetob-zok, Gofanws-vyn, Taftyr-mwń; Magnws-rym, Venzemtyr-map

Pakhomiya vs. Kwrpania
The Great and Eternal President Pakhomiy I Stadium, Gauptvakhtinsk, Pakhomiya
Projected Lineup: Pykpyzwba-nam; Synydwb-pyt, Petobdwb-dob, Bezypman-bof, Mamzwb-bab; Pykpytyr-myf, Gofanws-vyn, Venzemzwb-myf, Venzemzwb-pyt; Vabwpro-pyt, Magnws-fen

---

SPORT

Bright League matchdays thirteen through eighteen

Mist Valley 3–3 Tranquility
    [TRNQ] Vabwzyb-kes 8' (Bwgdwb-fen)
    [MIST] Pykpysw-bam 11' (Petobzoz-pyt)
    [MIST] Denrefwp-bok 71' (Pabofen-rem)
    [TRNQ] Petobsw-nam 85' (Bwgdwb-fen)
    [MIST] Denrefwp-bok 89' (Rynropeka-zok)
    [TNRQ] Venzemtyr-map 90+2' 
KNAF 2–6 National Fisheries
    [NTFS] Petobdwb-fen 5' (Gagwpwt-zok)
    [NTFS] Pykpyzwba-nam 13' (Magnws-fen)
    [NTFS] Gagwpwt-zok 21' (Nenzabyv-nor)
    [NTFS] Magnws-fen 37' (Pykpytyr-myf)
    [KNAF] Venzemzwb-pyt 45' 
    [NTFS] Petobdwb-fen 83' (Venzemsw-bym)
    [NTFS] Magnws-fen 85' (Bwgsw-pes)
    [KNAF] Rynropeka-mwń 86' (Tafzwba-tyb)
Ironworks 2–2 Railways
    [IRON] Rynropeka-fen 10' (Petobdwb-mwń)
    [RAIL] Tafzwba-vyn 25' 
    [IRON] Taftyr-mwń 28' (Taftyr-mwń)
    [RAIL] Foraf-bab 45+4' 
Foresters 2–1 River Society
    [RVS] Fandwrsw-bof 12' 
    [FOR] Fandwrsw-rof 63' (Mepzab-rab)
    [FOR] Petobwń-map 74' (Robensw-map)
Dynamo 1–0 Sunset Coast
    [DYN] Rynropeka-gyv 83' (Petobdwb-zok)
DTSclub 1–0 Central
    [DTS] H. Vilhjálmsson 11'

Mist Valley and Tranquility got off to a highly entertaining draw to start the matchday, with oen late goal apiece ensuring that the points were shared in Tygnad, while KNAF were thrashed by National Fisheries as the road side scored four in the first half. Ironworks continued their unbeaten run but failed to win at home against Railways, while Foresters got a valuable victory in their hunt for IFCF football against River Society. Dynamo made up ground on Ironworks with a narrow home win against Sunset Coast, while DTSclub continue to look upwards from their torrid beginning to the season after an upset win at home against Central.

Tranquility 1–2 DTSclub
    [DTS] G. Vilhjálmsson 12' (Mepesw-myf)
    [TRNQ] Petobsw-nam 18' (Bwgdwb-fen)
    [DTS] A. Ölvirsson 37' (H. Vilhjálmsson)
Central 1–0 Dynamo
    [CENT] Mepezwba-nam 55' 
Sunset Coast 3–3 Foresters
    [FOR] Rarsw-bof 21' (Mepzab-rab)
    [FOR] Rarsw-bof 43' 
    [SNST] Mwfpensw-nam 46' 
    [SNST] Mwfpensw-nam 59' 
    [FOR] Mepezwba-naf 73' 
    [FOR] RED Pabofen-nor 79'
    [SNST] Robenzwba-bam 90+6' (Synydwb-bof)
River Society 2–3 Ironworks
    [IRON] Magnws-rym 5' 
    [IRON] Mwfpensw-map 8' 
    [IRON] Gofanws-zok 13' (Taftyr-mwń)
    [RVS] Konosw-rab 28' (Vepybwń-nam)
    [RVS] Vepybwń-nam 58' 
Railways 1–1 KNAF (Capital Clash)
    [KNAF] Gofanws-vym 18' 
    [RAIL] Vabwpro-pyt 23' (Tafzwba-vyn)
National Fisheries 3–1 Mist Valley
    [MIST] Petobzoz-pyt 8' 
    [NTFS] Petobdwb-fen 74' 
    [NTFS] Pykpytyr-myf 77' 
    [NTFS] Magnws-fen 82' (Pykpytyr-myf)

DTSclub continue their building momentum with a win away at Tranquility, while a tense Tydebwg clash saw Central avenge their 1-0 loss to Dynamo earlier in the season. Sunset Coast rescued a point late on at home against 10-man Foresters deep into added time, while Ironworks got back to winning ways as an early flurry dispatched River Society. The second Capital Clash of the season saw the points shared, while National Fisheries add to what has been a solid recent run with a comeback to beat Mist Valley.

National Fisheries 2–1 Tranquility
    [NTFS] Petobdwb-fen 4' 
    [NTFS] Venzemsw-bym 30' 
    [TRNQ] Vepybwń-bof 49' (Venzemtyr-map)
Mist Valley 4–4 Railways
    [MIST] Denrefwp-bok 17' (Pabofen-rem)
    [MIST] Petobzoz-pyt 27' 
    [RAIL] Bezypman-bof 41' 
    [MIST] Rynropeka-pyt 47' 
    [RAIL] Foraf-bab 54' (Taftyr-rof)
    [RAIL] Vabwpro-pyt 68' 
    [MIST] Denrefwp-bys 71' (Bezypman-fem)
    [RAIL] Vabwpro-pyt 76' (Pykpysw-mwń)
KNAF 2–1 River Society
    [RVS] Fandwrsw-bof 54' 
    [KNAF] Rynropeka-mwń 59' 
    [KNAF] Mepzab-mwń 77' 
Ironworks 4–2 Sunset Coast
    [SNST] Mepzab-pyt 13' (Magnws-rab)
    [IRON] Petobdwb-mwń 21' 
    [IRON] Magnws-rym 35' (Gofanws-zok)
    [IRON] Robensw-bym 40' 
    [SNST] Mepesw-mwń 47' (Mwfpensw-nam)
    [IRON] Synydwb-byń 89' (Rynropeka-fen)
Foresters 1–1 Central
    [FOR] Mepzab-rab 33' 
    [CENT] Synydwb-bab 45+3' 
    [CENT] RED-2Y Vabwpetob-zok 50' 
    [FOR] RED-2Y Robensw-map 60' 
Dynamo 4–2 DTSclub
    [DYN] Segdwb-nam 12' (Gofanws-sob)
    [DTS] H. Vilhjálmsson 17' 
    [DYN] Segdwb-nam 47' (Petobdwb-zok)
    [DTS] Mepesw-myf 70' 
    [DYN] Segdwb-nam 71' (Gofanws-sob)
    [DYN] Segdwb-nam 90'

National Fisheries continued winning as they hosted a struggling Tranquility, while Mist Valley and Railways played out an entertaining back and forth that ended with neither finding a winner. KNAF came back in the second half to overcome River Society, while Ironworks continued their strong form as they swept past Sunset Coast. An ill-tempered game in Reńban saw both sides reduced to ten men early in the second half before sharing the points, while a confident second-half performance saw Dynamo get a win at home against DTSclub.

Tranquility 3–2 Dynamo
    [DYN] Petobdwb-zok 4' 
    [DYN] Segdwb-nam 37' 
    [TRNQ] Bwgdwb-fen 47' (Petobsw-nam)
    [TRNQ] Venzemtyr-map 56' (Petobsw-nam)
    [TRNQ] Petobwń-nor 67' (Fyrek-nam)
DTSclub 2–2 Foresters
    [FOR] Mwfpentyr-bof 36' 
    [FOR] Mepzab-rab 48' 
    [DTS] H. Vilhjálmsson 56' (D. Taklik)
    [DTS] G. Vilhjálmsson 73' (F. Leifsdóttir)
Central 2–0 Ironworks (Tydebwg Derby)
    [CENT] Venzemzwb-myf 67' (Venzemzwb-myf)
    [CENT] Mepezwba-nam 81' 
Sunset Coast 5–5 KNAF
    [SNST] Petobfen-bof 6' (Petobsw-keb)
    [KNAF] Tafzwba-tyb 7' (Rynropeka-mwń)
    [KNAF] Rynropeka-mwń 13' (Tafzwba-tyb)
    [SNST] Petobsw-nam 21' (Mepzab-pyt)
    [SNST] Mepzab-pyt 55' (Synydwb-bof)
    [SNST] Mepesw-mwń 63' 
    [KNAF] Mepzab-mwń 65' (Pykpysw-fem)
    [KNAF] Mepzab-mwń 84' (Gofanws-vym)
    [KNAF] Mepzab-mwń 87' (Gofanws-vym)
    [SNST] Mepzab-pyt 90+2' (Synydwb-bof)
River Society 3–2 Mist Valley (River Derby)
    [RVS] Reńebme-bet 22' 
    [MIST] RED-2Y Fakswr-rof 23'
    [RVS] Konoztyr-bof 41' (Mykar-tyb)
    [MIST] Pykpysw-bam 42' 
    [RVS] Vepybwń-nam 43' 
    [MIST] Petobzoz-pyt 68' (Bezypman-fem)
Railways 2–3 National Fisheries
    [RAIL] Foraf-bab 24' 
    [NTFS] Venzemsw-bym 30' (Nenzabyv-nor)
    [RAIL] Tafzwba-vyn 31' (Vabwpro-pyt)
    [NTFS] Magnws-fen 57' (Foraf-pyt)
    [NTFS] Magnws-fen 72'

Tranquility broke their torrid recent form with a surprise victory at home against third-placed Dynamo, while Foresters' first visit to Frjálshöfn ended all square as the hosts came back in the second half. The Tydebwg Derby ended with a surprise victory for Central as Ironworks were shut out for the first time since Matchday 4, while a second-half hat-trick from Mepzab-mwń nearly secured a stunning comeback victory for KNAF only to be denied by a Sunset Coast added-time equalizer. A River Derby between two struggling sides saw bottom-placed River Society come out on top, while Magnws-fen fired National Fisheries top with a second-half brace.

Railways 2–3 Tranquility
    [TRNQ] Venzemtyr-map 1' (Vabwzyb-kes)
    [RAIL] Fyrek-rof 25' 
    [RAIL] Robentyr-map 36' 
    [TRNQ] Petobsw-nam 48' 
    [TRNQ] Fyrek-nam 65' 
National Fisheries 1–0 River Society
    [NTFS] Magnws-fen 90+2' 
Mist Valley 3–4 Sunset Coast
    [SNST] Mepesw-mwń 2' (Petobsw-nam)
    [SNST] Fyrek-nam 20' (Mepesw-mwń)
    [MIST] Mepezwba-myf 29' (Denrefwp-bys)
    [SNST] Petobsw-keb 41' (Petobfen-bof)
    [MIST] Konosw-gyv 45+5' (Denrefwp-bys)
    [MIST] Denrefwp-bok 48' (Mepezwba-myf)
    [SNST] Mepzab-pyt 77' (Magnws-rab)
KNAF 3–2 Central
    [KNAF] Tafzwba-tyb 15' (Mwdgas-byń)
    [CENT] RED Rekzwba-tyb 32' 
    [KNAF] Pykpyzwba-zok 33' 
    [CENT] Mepezwba-nam 45+3' (Venzemzwb-myf)
    [KNAF] Tafzwba-tyb 54' 
    [CENT] Segdwb-fen 89' (Synydwb-bab)
Ironworks 2–3 DTSclub
    [IRON] Petobyr-pyt 32' 
    [IRON] RED Synydwb-byń 35' 
    [DTS] Á. Sigurdsson 45+3' (Mepesw-myf)
    [IRON] Rynropeka-fen 49' 
    [IRON] RED-2Y Petobdwb-mwń 56'
    [DTS] G. Vilhjálmsson 64' (Mepesw-myf)
    [DTS] Gagwsob-nam 74' (Á. Sigurdsson)
Foresters 3–3 Dynamo
    [DYN] Segdwb-nam 9' (Gofanws-sob)
    [DYN] Segdwb-nam 36' 
    [FOR] Mepezwba-naf 44' (Mwfpentyr-bof)
    [FOR] Mepzab-rab 57' (Rarsw-bof)
    [DYN] Rynropeka-gyv 79' (Petobzoz-tyb)
    [FOR] Mepzab-rab 82'

Tranquility bounced back from their derby setback with a victory away at Railways, while National Fisheries dug deep late on to remain top with a win against River Society. A half-time lead was enough for Sunset Coast as they got all three points away at Mist Valley, while KNAF sprung a surprise on Central after Rekzwba-tyb was sent for an early bath after a high tackle on Tafzwba-tyb. Ironworks lost their nerve in a torrid performance at home against DTSclub as they saw two men sent off in a narrow defeat, while Foresters went down early and came back strong to earn a point against Dynamo.

Tranquility 3–1 Foresters (Derby of the South)
    [TRNQ] Vepybwń-bof 5' (Petobsw-nam)
    [TRNQ] Petobsw-nam 14' (Venzemtyr-map)
    [TRNQ] Venzemtyr-map 48' (Petobsw-nam)
    [FOR] Venzemsw-map 90+6' 
Dynamo 2–2 Ironworks
    [DYN] Rynropeka-gyv 25' (Petobdwb-zok)
    [IRON] Petobwń-pyt 32' 
    [IRON] Rynropeka-fen 64' 
    [DYN] Petobdwb-zok 67' (Mykar-pyt)
DTSclub 4–3 KNAF
    [DTS] D. Taklik 15' (H. Vilhjálmsson)
    [DTS] H. Vilhjálmsson 36' 
    [DTS] Pabofen-map 45+1' 
    [KNAF] Venzemzwb-dot 45+5' 
    [KNAF] Mepzab-mwń 48' (Pykpyzwba-zok)
    [DTS] Á. Sigurdsson 67' (D. Taklik)
    [KNAF] Pykpysw-fem 69' 
Central 4–2 Mist Valley
    [CENT] Mwfpensw-gyv 20' (Segdwb-fen)
    [MIST] Petobzoz-pyt 28' 
    [MIST] Denrefwp-bok 45+2' 
    [CENT] Pytwr-pyt 45+5' (Vabwpetob-zok)
    [CENT] Segdwb-fen 83' (Sobeta-nam)
    [CENT] Pytwr-pyt 87' (Bwgdwb-bab)
Sunset Coast 1–1 National Fisheries
    [SNST] Petobsw-keb 39' (Petobfen-bof)
    [NTFS] Magnws-fen 48' 
 River Society 0–3 Railways
    [RAIL] Foraf-bab 22' (Taftyr-rof)
    [RAIL] Vabwpro-pyt 53' (Tafzwba-vyn)
    [RAIL] Vabwpro-pyt 72' (Tafzwba-vyn)

A late consolation goal was nowhere near enough for Foresters as Tranquility cruised to a victory in the Derby of the South, while Dynamo and Ironworks each dented the other's title hopes with a draw in Tydebwg. DTSclub continued their solid form with a win over the armed forces club, while Central recovered from a first-half deficit to get all three points against Mist Valley. National Fisheries could only get a point in a vital game away at Sunset Coast, while Railways kept their IFCF hopes alive as they cantered to a victory away at River Society.

National Fisheries lead the table with four matchdays remaining, with Ironworks four behind but still very much in the hunt. Central and Dynamo are looking relatively secure in the remaining IFCF places, as Railways' poor run has seen them drop back slightly. River Society and Mist Valley remain rocked to the bottom of the table, as a run by DTSclub has seen the Frjálshöfn side leap to 10th.

   League Table          Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 National Fisheries     18   11   4   3    46   30  +16    37 **Clinched IFCF Challengers Cup
-----------------------------------------------------------------
 2 Ironworks              18    9   6   3    37   25  +12    33
 3 Central                18    9   3   6    33   27   +6    30
 4 Dynamo                 18    9   3   6    31   25   +6    30
-----------------------------------------------------------------
 5 Railways               18    7   5   6    32   32    0    26
 6 Sunset Coast           18    7   4   7    38   35   +3    25
 7 Foresters              18    7   4   7    40   42   −2    25
 8 KNAF                   18    7   3   8    45   53   −8    24
 9 Tranquility            18    6   3   9    41   43   −2    21
10 DTSclub                18    6   3   9    32   35   −3    21
11 River Society          18    4   3  11    27   43  −16    15
12 Mist Valley            18    3   5  10    31   43  −12    14
IFCF Champions League
IFCF Challengers Cup
Golden Sword (Most Goals)
    Magnws-fen      National Fisheries  17
    Mepezwba-naf    Foresters           14
    Mepzab-mwń      KNAF                14
    Tafzwba-tyb     KNAF                13
    Mepzab-rab      Foresters           12
Golden Spear (Most Assists)
    Tafzwba-vyn     Railways            8
    Petobdwb-zok    Dynamo              7
    Gofanws-vym     KNAF                7
    Petobsw-nam     Tranquility         7
    Pykpysw-fem     KNAF                6
Golden Shield (Most Clean Sheets)
    Petobwń-map     Dynamo              7
    Pytwr-map       Ironworks           3
    Gofanws-bof     Sunset Coast        3
    Fakswr-rof      Mist Valley         2
    Robensw-dob     Railways            2

---

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[Chromatika]

World Cup 99 Qualifiers Matchday 7: (150) Girinatha Empire 2-5 Chromatika
Goals: Jean-Baptiste 11', 24', Hauptmeijer 52', Janissen op Colmans 82', Heimdell 90+2'
Starting XI: (3-4-1-2) - Swanson (C); Paterson - Lethbridge-Antonio, C. - Saburo; Hauptmeijer - Lethbridge-Antonio, J. - Prenn - Mátyás; Þyrill; Jean-Baptiste - Baïe-Verte.
Substitutes: Hogersson -> Letbridge-Antonio, J. (52'), Fillar, B. -> Prenn (52'), Janissen op Colmans -> Mátyás (66'), Han Cunningham -> Lethbridge-Antonio, C. (66'), Heimdell -> Jean-Bapitste (81')
Summary: Despite Jill Swanson letting in two goals in the first half hour, Kaytlyn Jean-Baptiste equalized, and it was all Anomalies in the second half as both Willemieke Janissen op Colmans and Jack Heimdell scored off the bench to put the game away. The amount of energy that the Anomalies brought to this road trip was rather stunning as they outdid the home side without much issue. There was some concern about the fact that they were stepping away from the First XI, but the second string did a good job in carrying on the intensity.

World Cup 99 Qualifiers Matchday 8: Chromatika 5–2 (40) Abanfleft @ Island Dome, Myana, Myana Island (Cap. 133,000; 32,000 Seats)
Goals: Baïe-Verte 22', 40', 57', Þyrill 71', Mátyás 80'
Starting XI: (3-4-1-2) - Swanson (C); Paterson - Lethbridge-Antonio, C. - Saburo; Haupmeijer - Lethbridge-Antonio, J. - Prenn - Mátyás; Þyrill; Jean-Baptiste - Baïe-Verte.
Substitutes: Coulibaly -> Paterson (66'), Howard-Dawes -> Baïe-Verte (66'), Jackson-Jones -> Lethbridge-Antonio, C. (75'), Xuen-Zhukov -> Jean-Baptiste (84'), Françine-Miklavivec -> Prenn (84')
Summary: In the most high profile home match to date, the Anomalies raced out to a 2-0 lead at halftime and never looked back, Harriet Baïe-Verte scoring the first hat trick of her international career and the rest of the team putting together a solid effort as they trounced the Fleftics 5-2 in front of a sold out crowd at the Islander Dome. It's all six points gained by this particular lineup, and it catapults the Anomalies back in second place after an Edsmontik side that is playing very well.

---

Projected Lineups for World Cup 99 Qualifying Matchdays 9 and 10
@ (88) Britonisea, @ (235) Vixette
Starting XI: Aniston; Paterson - Lethbridge-Antonio, C. - Saburo; Hauptmeijer - Lethbridge-Antonio, J. - Prenn (C) - Mátyás; Lee; Jean-Bapitiste - Baïe-Verte.
Substitutes: GK Hailee Sourtois, GK Jill Swanson, DCR Ami Coulibaly, DC Eileen Jackson-Jones, DCL Cylie Nodis, DCL Hélène Ataciara, WBR Grayson Fillar, WBL Edith Fillar, WBL Róża Panaś, DLP Alija Mesic-Mizayaki, CDM Eden Gundsdorf, AP Baillaire Fillar, AP Evin Françine-Miklavivec, AF Lavrentiy Xuen-Zhukov, AF Elaine Howard-Dawes, CF Jack Heimdell.
Preview: Two changes from the previous lineup, as Jessika Aniston gets her shot and Lee Hyun-Seol gets a chance to start. The match away at Vixette is actually looming large due to the fact that they tied the Chromatiks on Matchday 1, while Britonisea is sitting at the bottom three of the table. All the momentum is on Chromatika's side, but as they round the halfway point of qualifying, the pressure is still on to continue to turn in stellar results day after day.

---

1. The Find
2. The Lawyer
3. The Debt
Op 1. The Evil You Know

VOICES FROM THE CROWD
Op 2. Structure is Good

Let me say something that will likely get shot down by the rest of the Chromatik public, but makes the most sense given what's been happening to our country at large. Hear me out - I know that at first glance, there will be those who think I'm insane, but I'm of the opinion that if you hear me out, you'll see that there is some merit to what I am saying.

What if we make the Chromatik Security Council the actual government instead of a Premier and other branches of government?

Have it always be an eight member council, with the Head of the Chromatik Supreme Court be the nonvoting one. Have it be the Chromatik Chief of Staff, the head of the Chromatik Secret Service, a renowned member of the Chromatik public, three heads/representatives of the major parties of the country, and a voted in representative by the other seven members. That way, no one person can wreck what is best for the country, there will be seven people so that there is always a tiebreaking vote, and all the aspects of the Chromatik government is being represented.

The Chief of Staff can be replaced by a vote of the Chambers of the Legislature. The Head of the Secret Service can be removed by a vote of the Chambers of the Legislature as long as they gain the support of the Chief of Staff. The Head of the Chromatik Supreme Court can be changed by the Supreme Court itself, and the Court is appointed by the Chambers of the Legislature. The advocate position can be voted in by the public, while the three Party spots are done by the Parties internally.

Deterrents say that an oligarchy is bad because the members will protect themselves, but that's not the way that Chromatik Politics has gone. Everyone is out for themselves, and the different elements aren't down to share power if they can afford it - which just naturally will even itself out. Besides, if things get really bad, it can always go back to the popular vote, right?

Chromatika as a country isn't suitable to be run by a government consisting of three branches. We need as many checks and balances as possible, and an oligarchy allows that to happen. Basically, for corruption to happen, so many people will have to be complicit - and there will be chances for the Chambers of the Legislature and the Chromatik Supreme Court to step in, too.

I'm not saying that this has to be how things go in perpetuity. Just for the upcoming years as the country keeps figuring stuff out.

What we've been trying for the last ten years isn't working, after all. So, something else can be tried out, right?

Am I really that crazy? What other things can we try? Isn't the definition of insanity trying something over and over again while thinking it'll actually change?

I await honest discussion in the replies, None of the just sensual stuff. Please.