World Cup 101 - The Roleplays

[Hamborn]

Hamborn 0 - 1 Sel Appa

"Welcome to Lavandeum there will be a match to keep 5th place and maybe get a 4th place for Hamorn !"

0' "Hamborn start the match on a long shot."

56' "Penalty for Sel Appa, Bilo Nosinto had make a bad tackle and receive a yellow card, Micheal Julio is bad for penalties !"

56' "Antonio Rodriguez will shot this penalty and... GOAL, 0-1 for Sel Appa !"

90+3' "The match end on a lose of Hamborn ! It was a boring games with less than 60 occasions on the 2 sides."

Eastfield Lodge 2 - 0 Hamborn, 8th of the groups

0' "Welcome to Tavernia Stadium, Hamborn will fight for the 5th place !"

10' Ingersleben tackle the defenser and run faces the goal and 1-0 for Eastfield Lodge, only at the 10th minute !"

90+2' "Ingersleben again, takes the ball and do a 25 meters shot and 2-0 for Eastfield Lodge Hamborn fell to 8th places and a loses streak !"

Hamborn - Reçuecn, the match to save Hamborn

This is the match that Hamborn do not loses, if Hamborn loses, Hamborn won't go to World Cup 101, their will be distanced by the Play off nations.

On a deseperate side we all think that it's sad the main goal is injured and be back for Match day 11 only, but I think the comeback of Neo Kisté on this 4-3-3 can save Hamborn, from the bad defense we got, Micheal Julio leaves the goals for his error against the second goal against Eastfield Lodge, he's replaced by Xilo Novas an experienced goal.

We know the team already the same than MD2 a that works good together.

Hamborn - Wondering Refugees

In the Castle of Lavandeum there is the castle the last place where Hamborn plays their most beautiful games, Hamborn will be there to say no to the disqualification against the 9th, Hamborn will fight to death with the team of MD9 that is a good team Hamborn is there to defense,

[Paradystopia]

CUT-OFF FOR GROUPS 1-8 FOR MD9 & MD10

[Libegeist]

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Appleseed

Play music.

She was sitting on a white chair, waiting to pay for her hair being done. She was surprised that there were still some good hair salons in Appleseed.

Nate and her gang were lying low in Appleseed, having caused enough trouble elsewhere. It didn't help that she was looking like a tourist. What else was she laying low at Appleseed for? Nate paid for the services that were done to her at the salon, before she ended up back at the market. A market that below other towering buildings, similar to that of the city of Crockett.

It wasn't until she was starting to notice the locals staring at something or rather someone with intrigue.

She stood to the side to see who was passing through. Turns out, it was a hot shot celebrity. What was his name again?

Bryan?

No, Brent?

Actually, Bryant?

Wait, it was Bryan! Bryan Raido.

Bryan Raido. He was a musician that was currently making it big in the country. He knew how to play the guitar and perform alternative, which was the hottest music trend in Libegeist. He had recently released his album X-Ray, and it looks like he was browsing through the stalls of the marketplace, while his agents and bodyguard was nearby.

Nate couldn't help it. She just happened to have her digital camera with her. A small square that could fit in her pocket with else. She had to get some pictures of Bryan, like any celebrity worshipping fan. She joined the crowd, as they followed Bryan over to the helicopter that was parked in a secluded area. Maybe, it was a part of a publicity stunt that Bryan had his own helicopter nearby.

He gave a wave to the people, until the helicopter's rotors went moving. Everyone could only watch, as the helicopter took off.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Banneker

Play trip hop.

Sing to the music. The bride-to-be was doing so with her friends, when they were going down the street at night. It was a friendly friends night out for the bride-to-be. She was the one who was wearing the orange and black striped strapless tanktop shirt with the orange hair. She got herself filled with vitamins to keep the energy of the night up.

Her groom-to-be was elsewhere, though she wasn't worried about him. She believed that he was having the same energy as her. Nervous at their upcoming wedding, but knowing that it was going to be an important moment.

Her and her friends came to the bridal salon, which was recently given a fresh coat of blue paint to match its interior more. The inside of the store was futuristic with the same color scheme, to which several floating lamps surrounded the inside of the store.

It was being a peaceful moment, as the bride-to-be was trying on a wedding gown, until one of the friends got the phone call.

The expressions of euphoria immediately drained from their face.

They gave it to the bride-to-be.

The same depletion of all happy thoughts were gone.

Even with the wedding gown that was on her.

She had got the heavy news.

Her groom is reported dead.

[Delaclava]

MADE FROM NOTHING
Chapter One: Clermont University

OOC: Please see this post for the explanation of concept/story.

"Are you going to the Kappa House party tonight?"
"Yes, but we gotta go to the swim club mixer first!"
"Don't forget to tell Damon and Luke to come! Those hot guys we met at the juice bar-"

Three girls, all somehow blonde and blue-eyed and petite and exactly five-foot-eight, chatted excitedly, walking three-wide on the bright white concrete sidewalk and paying only attention to each other. Two of them strode through a slight, lost-looking boy bearing his luggage, brushing him on either shoulder and knocking him off his feet without noticing.

Alex Hall sighed and picked himself up off the ground, struggling under the weight of his camper backpack stuffed to the brim. He leaned down to his left to pick up his equally full suitcase, and looked to his right, and saw a tall, muscly, dark-haired boy holding out a long, narrow, hard case flared at the bottom.

Alex smiled, appreciative yet also suddenly nervous. "Thanks."
"No prob," the tall boy replied. "That's a weird-looking case. What's in it?"
"Oh, it's a trombone."
"Nice. You don't play with them though?" The boy pointed to the expanse of grass fields to their right, where a marching band of 200-something people had just kicked into another rep of what sounded like a fight song.

Alex awkwardly laughed and said, "No..." Unsure what else to say, he nodded again gratefully as the other boy walked off. The Clermont University Blue Wave marching band was good, for sure, but it was rather intense for his tastes. He was more accustomed to sit quietly in the band or orchestra and play his instrument. He was decently fit and liked to run, but didn't take very well to activities that required much coordination.

His first few minutes on the Clermont campus had been an overload, to be honest. He had graduated from a class of 49 at Felton Country Day, an elite private high school about 45 minutes outside the city center of Manchester. With about 9,000 students, Clermont wasn't exactly a massive school, but still, he had already run into more people than he even knew at Felton, and Clermont was by far the largest university he had applied to. Clermont, much like Felton, was situated in the suburb of Adelaide, an accessible yet safe distance from Mariana, which itself is a rather snoozy city as far as Delaclav cities go. Nevertheless, Alex was still out of his depth.

Now that Alex had recovered his bags and his wits, he was relieved to find his dorm, Rosenberg Hall, no more than fifty yards in front of him. He continued on his way, a bit more warily this time, although this part of the sidewalk was roofed by the foliage of two gorgeous dogwood trees, and a cluster of robins chatting away softly, as if to welcome him to his new home.

Rosenberg Hall itself was a cozy, six-story, long brick building with freshly finished white steps and Ionic columns, the front facing directly to the lake in the middle of campus. Alex lugged his bags up the steps, through the columns, and into the atrium.

The inside lobby was hot and humid; even though the outside temperature was unseasonably crisp, it was no match for freshman moving day. He walked up to the tall circular desk, and was met by a short, tan, smiling girl with her brown hair pulled back in what may have been a tight ponytail several hours ago.

"Hi! Welcome to Clermont. So good to have you here. My name is Miriam, I'm one of the RAs in Rosenberg Hall. What's your name?"
"Hi, I'm Alex. Alex Hall."
"Nice to meet you, Alex, let's see here...H...Ok, here it is. So you'll be in the North Wing, Room 527. Here are your keys, a name badge," she handed those items to Alex, and then reached under the desk before resurfacing, "and here's a little welcome package from your RAs. There's maps and brochures in there and just a few other fun items. If you keep walking past the desk you'll see the elevators right in front of you! Do you have any questions?"
"No. Thank you!"
"Of course! And I will be here until 5:30 or someone else will be here after that if you need anything."
"Thank you! Have a good day."

Alex continued on his way, now just barely grasping his welcome kit in the same bag as his trombone, using an elbow to hit the elevator button. The door opened and six more students burst chattering - it seemed that college was just an exercise in dodging crowds of people - and got on to the elevator, up to the fifth floor. The elevator opened up in the middle of the dormitory, and Alex took a right to get to the North Wing, then another right to get to his room, Room 527. A sign on the door read "ALEX HALL" on one line and "PAUL STARK" on the other.

Alex set down his suitcase and trombone, pulled the key card out of the welcome bag, and tapped it to the door, unlocking it. The room was barren, with a twin mattress, a desk, and a closet on either side. Neither Paul Stark nor his stuff was here, so Alex chose the right side of the room, set down the suitcase, the trombone, wriggled the backpack off his shoulders, and finally flopped himself down on the mattress, letting out a big sigh. He'd have let himself stay there for longer, but he figured he should get his things in order before getting a shower and calling it a day.

He got up, set about making his bed, putting clothes in the closet, stacking books on his desk, finding a spot for pens and pencils and his laptop. Out in the hallway, he intermittently heard kids chattering with each other or with their moms and dads. Alex's mom and dad hadn't made the trip to Clermont, instead staying behind as his sister Danielle started senior year at Felton. His parents assured him they loved him and were proud of him, but they needed to stay behind because senior year was a really important year both for Danielle's school and soccer. Alex could make do without his parents for this process. Between Danielle's soccer and his older brother Eli's tennis, going it alone was a state of being that Alex was accustomed to, and possibly preferred.

Still, his mom had taken Eli to college, and he assumed one or both parents would accompany Danielle next year, so it stung that he was by himself here. He couldn't help but think there was still some lingering discontent that Alex had been sent to an expensive school like Felton, done well there academically - he particularly excelled in literature and writing - only to go play trombone and write music for school. He remembered going on tours of schools where his mother would seemingly ask every tour guide if his academics would get considered in his application for music school, if there was flexibility in his studies, as if she were hedging bets on her son's failure...

Alex realized that he had come to a complete stop for the past two minutes or so, Principles and Exercises in Orchestration by Ruslan Artemiev clutched so tightly in his hands that he was shaking and his knuckles had turned right. Coming aware and taking a deep breath, he set the book down, decided that was enough for now - the bed was made and all the big items were in place - shoved the rest of his items in a corner in the closet, and gathered up his towel and toiletries to shower. He was thankful that this residence hall had bathrooms in each unit; he wasn't in a mood to interact with anyone after the long day he'd had, let alone navigate communal showers.

With his things in hand, Alex took a brief glance out the window. His room looked out onto a large green quad, where other people were already making friends and lounging in the sun and sipping sparking waters. The lake was faintly visible off to the right side, the lakeside line curving away from his sightline. And just towards the end of it, Alex could spot a cluster of white stone buildings, all surrounding a large, gorgeous, glassy concert hall right at the edge of the lake.

Alex smiled. Everything else today had been so strange, so foreign. The buildings of the Miranda School of Music were strange, too, but perhaps he'd at least be at home there.

[Kamijiro]

WC101: Kamijiro's Fall From Grace Continues

It's been a rough go for the Lightning. From the start, it was well-known they'd struggle following Raiji Kagawa's departure. It was not clear, however, that it was going to be this bad. Through six matches played, the Kamijiroans are sitting eighth in their group with two wins, two draws and four losses, including a 1-5 loss at the hands of Biyambi. Alexandre St. Francis looks out of his depth. The players are not getting along. There's a severe lack of harmony in the group and it's showing on the pitch. Misplaced passes, missed defensive marking, unorganized pressing, you name it, it's an issue right now.

So the question becomes this: is it the fault of St. Francis, the fault of the Kamijiroan FA for sacking their most successful manager ever, or is it the fault of the FA and St. Francis for allowing two staunch Jirini independence supporters into the team? The issues have only compounded with Louissaint and Jiro in the team. The team is disjointed, with two distinct sides: the ones that think Jirinho is rightfully a part of Miraisaki and the ones who think that Jirinho needs to be able to do its own thing. Much to nobody's shock, it's the Miraisaki residents that are most staunchly in the remain group. Because of this, the two Jirini in the team have been training on their own with their squad in Jirinho at Parc des Vieux Carré, found in the center of New Imperia's Old Quarter, which is the most densely populated region of the island.

It's not exactly for lack of chances, either. Sōji Kokubun missed an equalizing penalty against Snestar in the dying minutes. Al-Momenta only won 1-0 after parking the bus and conceding nearly an hour and a half of pure pressure following an early mistake from Ichi Asumi saw the Lightning down 1-0 within the first minute. Even Keigo Nakaji's typical curling shots have had very little effect - they're just... off.

It was, in fact, that drubbing from Biyambi that put the FA on high alert. 1-0 losses where things just don't bounce your way, fine. 3-0 against Ko-oren away isn't great, but it's at least understandable. But getting obliterated 5-1 by a team that's dozens of spots lower on the rankings, even away from home... that's embarrassing. And demoralizing. There's still a chance the Lightning can turn this around, there's no question about that. But the fact that it's even gotten to this point would indicate that the FA have put their eggs in the wrong basket with Alexandre St. Francis, who has had zero experience as a lead manager at a World Cup. The Campionato Esportiva is one thing, but the World Cup is another beast that's very difficult to crack. Both Ko-oren and Snestar look out of sight at this point, with Ko-oren 14 points above the Lightning and Snestar up 12. The good news is that third place still looks quite doable, just four points ahead. It's another question entirely if St. Francis can manage to turn this downtrodden team around.

--

"Que ceux qui son' en faveur disen' 'oui.'"

There's a loud rustling as nearly every hand in the room shot up.

"La résolution passe."

That was all it took for the Jirinho Articles of Independence to be passed. One room full of the powers that be in Jirinho - the oldest families, the new money, the business owners... and one fifty-six page document hand-written in black ink. A document that declares that Jirinho will no longer accept taxation from Miraisaki and will hold their own elections. A document that will surely be rejected by Parliament and turn into a legal battle that will turn very, very ugly. Said document was signed by at least one family member of each attendee. Said document will likely be seen as treasonous. The penalty for treason in Kamijiro is death. This is a death warrant they've all signed. Because the alternative was to continue to watch their tax dollars leave and not support them at all.

That next morning, tourists were told to leave. Boats to Kaminho were loaded up and they were sent away. Not unkindly, mind you. Their accommodations were refunded and they were given food and drink for the two hour-long ferry trip over. Then, once the island was secured, the Lightning were informed they were not going to be seeing Louissaint or Jiro any time soon... and the port closed. The black flag was raised. The island was prepared for a war, should it come to their shores. The biggest question is whether or not Miraisaki, the ex-empire's headquarters, so to speak, would take this as an act of legal warfare or physical warfare.

The issue for the Mainlanders is that they are likely unprepared for what warfare in Jirinho would look like. Jirinho is a wetland, through and through. Dark brackish water, lots of bugs, willow trees and moss. The residents of the island know this place like the back of their hands. The Mainlanders have never seen anything quite like it. Don't forget the crocodiles. There are a ton of crocodiles. And they can get aggressive if you wade too close.

Only time will tell how Miraisaki and Parliament react to the Articles. For now, the Jirini sit and wait with the cannons pointed at the port.

[Carpathia and Ruthenia]

Can the ship be righted?

After a dream start with a 3-2 victory over second seeded HUElavia, it seems to have turned into a nightmare barely scraping two more wins so far against the so called slush pot teams. Even in a bizarro World Cup qualifying where a team only needs to find themselves in fifth place for a chance in the playoffs Carpathia and Ruthenia find themselves sitting in seventh place and outside even that generous window.

So what can be done, save for our first match our attacking players have been muted not managing to make much problems for our opponents defences, and even when they have managed to get the opportunities on goal they’ve more often than not fluffed the chances. Something either needs to change in the locker room, get some sports psychologists in to help sort whatever yips is going with the players, or there needs to be a change in the squad perhaps giving a change to younger, hungrier players who haven’t gotten a cap as of yet.

Antonini picking back up the gloves after a nasty injury should help stabilise the defense, her command of the defenders is sorely needed after Voltolini has managed to let four goals get by her on two occasions, mostly due to a lack of co-ordination between her and the defenders.

We find ourselves a game away from the halfway point, perhaps that will be a turning point for the team, as after all even though we find ourselves in seventh, we are only 2 points off fourth place. And as the well known saying goes, football is a game of two halves.

By Margita Ongaro
CBC Ruthenia

[City of Myrtle Beach]

GROUP 10 | MATCHDAY 7
Tikariot 3 - 1 Myrtle Beach

Goalscorers:
Tikariot: I would put these here, but Tikariot already posted their RP for this cutoff and they didn't put their scorers (or I can't find them). Now, as a division one procrastinator (committed to Subway), I chose to wait until three hours before cutoff to write my RP, so I don't have time to telegram Tik (as it says in the RP permissions, which I respect!) for the scoring information I'm sure they already have in their incredibly detailed spreadsheets. Not a dig at anyone, I'm more just kicking myself for saying last night, "Yeah, I'll be fine," and then not being fine, as usually occurs in situations like these.
Myrtle Beach: 27' Chukchov

GROUP 10 | MATCHDAY 8
United States of Devonta 2 - 2 Myrtle Beach

Goalscorers:
Devonta: Unrostered
Myrtle Beach: 52' Chukchov; 83' Fisher

Upcoming Losses
Matchday 9 - vs Gyaromia
Matchday 10 - vs Kanzlia
Matchday 11 - at Shin-Zetsubo
Matchday 12 - vs Jeckland
Matchday 13 - at Bongo Johnson
Matchday 14 - vs Masraya
Matchday 15 - at The Holy Empire
Matchday 16 - vs Tikariot
Matchday 17 - vs United States of Devonta
Matchday 18 - at Gyaromia

---

As John Jon sat at his desk having procrastinated writing this match report for far, far too long, he found that he really did not have a whole lot to write about. The Tikariot result, of course, was incredibly predictable. The team which has dominated the group so far and has all but punched their ticket to the World Cup (and probably the knockouts from there) beat a team who are barely treading water in the group, teetering just on the edge of the first round of playoffs, which would then allow them to qualify for the second round of playoffs, then the third, and then you actually get a ticket to go 0-3 in the World Cup. So, obviously, it is massively preferable for a team to go directly to the cup rather than slop about in the playoffs against a bunch of other very hungry teams also looking to punch their ticket to the World Cup. This Tikariot result is certainly not helping, but it was factored in as a loss in the planning beforehand- there are still paths to victory! Of course, those paths to victory include victory, which seems to elude the Seagulls as of late.

Anyways... the matches. To Tikariot the Myrtle Beachians went, ready for a fresh beating. And it was close for a while! At the half it was 2-1, and Myrtle Beach was looking to be a formidable opponent for the team from Tikariot. Of course, in the second half, it all fell apart, with another goal scored for Tikariot and no goals scored for Myrtle Beach. Another loss! Then was Devonta. Like the Jeckland match, Devonta provided no information about their team or where to go to face their team, so, like before, the Myrtle Beachians traveled to a nearby pitch where some tier-six match was ending and took it over following the conclusion of the match. Under the auspices of the Official WCC Referee, the Myrtle Beachians played their 90 minutes, scored two goals, and did a bunch of shitty tricks for the crowd like one of those awful exhibition baseball teams where all the Little League washouts go after they get cut from their bottom-of-the-barrel college team. The crowd enjoyed it, and the team signed jerseys and balls, and the team went home assuming another win was in the books. Until, of course, they awoke the next morning and saw that the result of the match was now a 2-2 tie. Somehow, the Devontans managed to score two goals despite not being present at the match, at all, in any capacity. So, what was considered a win is now a tie, and the World Cup really needs to deal with this problem where goals are added after the match concludes. Or do something about these teams that don't submit any information. But preferably the first one, since teams that don't submit any information are free wins. Except Devonta, apparently.

[Bonusia]

Round 1: Nusandara 0-3 Bonusia - W
@ Nusandara
Round 2: Bonusia 3-2 HUElavia - W
@ La Caravana, Op, Bonport, Bonusia
Round 3: Libesia 0-1 Bonusia - W
@ Hasimou Biri Sports Complex, Hayaale, Libesia
Round 4: Bonusia 2-0 Katzeburg - W
@ Estadi de la Unificació, Somorrosta, Detrívora, Bonusia
Round 5: Beal an Mhuirthead 1-2 Bonusia - W
@ Beal an Mhuirthead
Round 6: Bonusia 2-0 Aamathyr - W
@ Tomàtic, Sant Molina, Ralí, Bonusia
Round 7: Aphrilia 1-0 Bonusia - L
@ Millennium Dawn Stadium, Darlingtown, Aphrilia
Round 8: Bonusia 2-0 Warkus - W
@ La Cova del Tigre, Unom, Plana d'Unó, Bonusia
Round 9: Carpathia and Ruthenia vs Bonusia
@ Carpathia and Ruthenia
Round 10: Bonusia vs Nusandara
@ Estadi d'Avellanes&Turró, Minga, Tionera, Bonusia
Round 11: HUElavia vs Bonusia
@ Estadio Porto, Portimao, HUElavia
Round 12: Bonusia vs Libesia
@ La Blanquinada, Tarraconova, Tarraconensis, Bonusia
Round 13: Katzeburg vs Bonusia
@ Anchor Field, Inverhaven, Katzeburg
Round 14: Bonusia vs Beal an Mhuirthead
@ Hepepelioli, Wèep, Pungapu, Bonusia
Round 15: Aamathyr vs Bonusia
@ Aamathyr
Round 16: Bonusia vs Aphrilia
@ Estadi Bonusià Inda' Regareka, Kekla, Keklagara, Bonusia
Round 17: Warkus vs Bonusia
@ Dome of Virtue, Nyareth Newydd, Warkus
Round 18: Bonusia vs Carpathia and Ruthenia
@ Estadi Casa Tarradellas, Kynetbo, AMK

MATCHDAY 7	MATCHDAY 8
APHRILIA 1-0 BONUSIA	BONUSIA 2-0 WARKUS
UNBREAKABLE Bonusia suffers it's first loss of the qualifiers against an Aphrilia whose defence proved unpenetrable for the Black Star's attackers	BACK TO BLACK Bonusia doesn't lose it's step and beats Warkus by 2-0 to keep it's momentum going for the qualifiers
Events (APH): I. Forrestal 39' // || K. Christonson 73' Events (BON): -	Events (BON): I. Pedra 51', I. Jara 81' // || A. Obiols 36', I. Jara 81' Events (WAR): ||| I. Piwter 54' (|| 39')
SUMMARY: In Aphrilia, Bonusia wasn't able to extend their streak further on than they did up until matchday. They were to play the most difficult challenge of the entire qualifying campaign, and it showed from minute 1. Bonusia aimed to build attacks from the back forward, and the Aphrilians, very paciently, waited for them while leaving no spaces behind, and this worked for them during all the first half. The only goal of the game would come from a a counter, Ines Forrestal scored the only goal of the game with her signature move, going out, then cutting in and putting a curved ball, impossible for Cloquell to reach, and with this result the match would eventually reach halftime. Xavier Boquete, given the unfavorable results during the first half, changed the scheme and aimed for a more chaotic and straight-forward game, bringing in Dou, Valladares and specially Obiols to keep the ball moving and to attack more directly, thus trying to overcome the remarkable Aphrilian defense. But the Anchors, prepared for this aswell, changed their defensive formation aswell, moving their lines forward to avoid counter-attacks thanks to the offside rule, a tactic never seen in Bonusia which was really hard to counter. Bonusia pushed and pushed, and for a moment it almost had it. Precisely Antoni Obiols took everyone by surprise with a great shot from out the box, but Karnwell managed to finally save it. Other than that, though, despite the best efforts for the Space Labubus the goal didn't want to go in. The Aphrilians showed they were the superior team, and they granted Bonusia its first defeat of the qualifiers.	SUMMARY: After losing their first game to Aphrilia, Bonusia returned home in hopes of regaining their good pace so far. And in Unom, the Bonusians certainly did so. In front of them, a Warkusian side that, despite seemingly being on a harsh row of results, are very close to the Bonusian level and who could pose a threat to Bonusia's chances to qualify. The Warkusians, playing with their usual attacking style of "Blethynball", jumped into the attack right away, and actually making the Bonusian defense sweat it. During the chaotic first half, both teams were really close to actually scoring, making several attempts that put the goalkeepers in tense situations. However, as the minutes went by, the Bonusian midfield started slowing down the tempo and take control of the game. This control was truly reflected during the second half of the game. The Bonsuian domination intensified, and the Warkusian attack became overly disorganized, leaving their defense vulnerable. Indeed, this second half was an ode to "Boqueteball". The results, of course, did not take long to materialise. The Unomian star Isaac Pedra, in front of his people, smashed the ball into the net with way more force than necessary, to make it 1-0. The Warkusians, with already a hard situation, had to sit and watch as Isetyn Piwater made a harsh tackle on Isaac Boleda granted him the 2nd yellow. From now then, the match became calmer for the plays. Itziar Jara, the young Earthling, also wanted to prove her luck and managed to make it 2-0, and she managed to score, with her more straight-forward. A very important win for Bonusia, that keeps it's form and a pretty big blow for Warkus, that falls into the leaderboard.

[Drawkland]

“Let me get this straight.”

“Go ahead.”

“You heard a voice say one intelligible word while you were dreaming. You believe this wasn’t just a dream, that it was actually a message. And you want me to trace it back like … a phone call or something?” Kanyo, the Drawkionel, folded her arms and tilted her head. She’d arrived at Iarocav’s manor a few minutes prior at the Supreme Drawkionel’s request through magical means.

“I’m not sure why you find this concept so unbelievable. We’ve had magic-based communication for millennia. You’ve been an enchantress for longer than I’ve known you, too. Surely this sort of thing falls into your jurisdiction?” Iarocav folded his arms sarcastically to mirror Kanyo.

“I’m a grandmaster, not a miracle worker.” Kanyo rolled her eyes, though she didn’t seem entirely malicious. “I know your limited aptitude for the arcane has narrowed your courses of study, but that’s no excuse for ignorance.”

“I admit my ignorance.” Iarocav shrugged. “Why do you think I called you? Just for a chat?”

“A chat every once in a while wouldn’t hurt,” Kanyo muttered. She shook her head, as if to reset herself. “Anyway, you still haven’t told me exactly who you think the message was from.”

Iarocav grimaced, sucking a breath through his teeth. There was no point in hiding it now. “If I told you right off the bat, you wouldn’t have agreed to come here.”

“Keeping essential information from me in an attempt to gain assistance you otherwise would not receive?” Kanyo clicked her tongue. “Very mature.”

“I’m sorry if I disrupted your afternoon plans. You still don’t have to help if you don’t want to.”

“In any case, I feel your non-answer made it clear enough who you thought you heard.”

“Perhaps that was intentional.” Iarocav gave a wan smile.

Kanyo sighed. “Again, I’m not a miracle worker. There’s dozens of ways to send mental messages through arcane means. Dreams are easily the least reliable. Everything’s too … fuzzy.”

“Sounds like it comes with the territory.”

“Funny.” Kanyo put her hands on her hips. “So, where did this happen? Your bedroom, I presume?”

“Naturally.”

“Let’s see it, then.”

“The message went to my brain. Isn’t that the more important component?”

“Who’s the archmage here?”

“Fair.” Iarocav dipped his head in resignation, turning to lead the way through his manor’s corridors towards his chambers.

“I feel like I should warn you now,” Kanyo said gently as the pair traveled up a flight of stairs, “I doubt I’ll find anything. Even if I’m able to detect the method of transmission …”

“She’s probably too far away to accurately place the source. I figured.” Iarocav replied flatly. “Any clue at all would suffice. Determining whether it was a message in the first place would be more than acceptable.”

“I don’t want you to get your hopes up.” Kanyo shook her head. “Nor do I think another fruitless search would be good for you.”

“If you don’t want to help, you can leave. No hard feelings, truly.”

“I’m helping to put your mind at ease.”

“You don’t expect to find anything,” Iarocav realized as he opened the door to his bedroom. “You’re just hoping to placate me.”

“Would that be such a bad thing?” Kanyo asked. “I’m sure your daughter would hate to see you get so worked up every time she comes across your mind like this.”

“I’m sure she hates every rotten second she spends in the captivity of that wretch,” Iarocav snarled. It was a surprising jolt from the otherwise level tone he’d held since Kanyo arrived. “I know you think this is unbecoming of me. I’d rather hold on to hope regardless.”

“Hope and delusion are sisters.” Kanyo gave a meaningful glance. After a moment, she pointed at the bed. “Well, let’s see what you’ve got. Still a left side sleeper?”

“It’s been two thousand years,” Iarocav grumbled as he laid himself down in the spot where he normally slept. “Do I need to get under the covers, too?”

“This will suffice.” Kanyo afforded a small chuckle.

She stepped to the side of the bed as Iarocav put his head against the pillow. She took a deep breath, pressing her right index finger against a specific spot on her forehead, then brought both her arms down by her hips as she exhaled.

Iarocav laid still. He wasn’t sure if he needed to close his eyes, but he did anyway.

“Try to focus on that message.” Kanyo withheld any additional commentary as she began to fully concentrate on her own task.

Iarocav nodded silently. The dream itself had long faded since he’d woken up hours prior, but he could still hear an echo of his daughter’s voice. He pressed his mind against it like holding onto a lifeline at sea.

Kanyo brought her hand over Iarocav’s head, slowly flexing and unflexing her fingers, as if kneading the air above him. She, too, closed her eyes, limiting her senses to hasten her search. With so many different techniques of sending messages by magical means, there were a lot of different signatures to look for.

Time seemed to stretch on in the silent room. At least Kanyo was being thorough despite her misgivings, Iarocav thought. Of course, the fact that she wasn’t receiving anything tangible in short order was probably a bad sign.

Suddenly, Kanyo gasped. It was a sudden enough exclamation that Iarocav’s eyes shot open. “What? What is it?”

“Shh, shh!” Kanyo demanded, hand now shaking slightly above Iarocav’s head. He squeezed his eyes shut again. After another agonizingly long moment, she shuddered. “It can’t be.”

“What can’t be?” Iarocav opened his eyes again to look at Kanyo, moving into a sitting position on the edge of the bed.

“I may have found something. But it doesn’t make sense.” Kanyo shook her head, stepping away from the edge of the bed. She collected herself rather quickly. “I found something that might be a message. It’s not from traditional means, though. No spell or incantation or technique that I’ve known.”

“What? How-”

“It was sent directly through the divine fabric. Clearly passed through at least one dimension on the way here, and it wasn’t carried on a ley line. But nothing should be that powerful. Nobody, I mean.”

“Which dimension? Could you tell?” Iarocav tried his hardest to keep the eagerness out of his voice. It didn’t help that Kanyo still looked a little shaken.

“I don’t know. Like I said, it’s at least one away. Maybe negative polarity. But the veils between each dimension are so so difficult to see through. You know this.”

“I know. I told you, I just want a hint of a direction to go.”

“Ugh.” Kanyo shook her head again, then cleared her throat. “Iarocav, you need to be careful. I don’t know what this means. It might not have been her. It could be bait.”

“If he wants to get me, he knows where to find me. There’d be no reason to use her as bait to get me there.”

“If he has power that can punch directly through dimensional walls, there’s no telling what he’s capable of now. And you know why he wanted Vimaracav. Perhaps his end goal has been realized.”

“In that case, we’d better prepare for the sky to fall.” Iarocav chuckled dryly. “Not sure there’s anything we can do, then. But assuming we’re not looking at the worst case scenario, I think it’s worth it to chase the reasonable scenario.”

“You mean the optimistic scenario.”

“The optimistic scenario would be to wait at the gates for Vi to show up by herself. I gave up on that one long ago.”

“That may be true.” Kanyo admitted. “But that’s not an excuse for you to be reckless. Losing Vi was a great tragedy. Losing you would be a great disaster. Don’t forget how many people are depending on you here.”

“We’ve spent the last two millennia creating systems to ensure that’s not the case.” Iarocav shrugged. He sat up from the bed, making his way back to the hall.

“Don’t be naive.”

“Don’t be fearful.”

“Fine, fine. You’ve already made up your mind.” Kanyo sighed as she followed behind him. “I just ask that you approach this with tact and care.”

“I approach everything with tact and care.”

“Not everything.”

Iarocav stopped walking, leaning against the bannister overlooking the stairway below. “I know. That’s why we’re here in the first place. I won’t make the same mistake again.

[Edsmontik]

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QUESTIONS ASKED: WHAT CAUSED EDSMONTIK'S FIRST LOSS OF THE QUALIFIERS?

Saturday, 8/27/2033, 11:16pm
Written by Vyktor Kalsefja

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In Kandorith was held the 7th matchday of the World Cup 101 Qualifiers. Up to now, the Eagles of Edsmontik had been on a giant win streak. They had not lost or drawn a single game up to this point. However, this game, held in Kandorith against Kandorith, turned that right upside down. The Eagles were faced with their first loss since the IAC. Despite still being first in group rankings, Edsmon fans were obviously upset by the fact that the Eagles had conceded their way into a loss.

With this having recently been the main topic for the Eagles' fans, most also ignored the 8th matchday Edsmontik had against Eraman, in which they won 2-1. With everything added up, following this game, the Eagles ended up having a total of 4 goals conceded to opponents, which wasn't bad. Unfortunately, some of the crazy goals this match were overshadowed by the Edsmons' first loss.

In Edsmontik's Kandorith match, while the Eagles performed well in the first half, scoring a goal with a powerful kick from Fotserr which was supported by Stuero, they couldn't hold up for long. The Eagles spent a lot of time and energy trying to slow down the very enthusiastic Kandorith attack, which was arguably stronger than the Legalese attack. With Javarqa injured early in the half, and Norseden forced to lead, the Eagles' defense was all over the place.

"We had nothing less to expect with a shaky defense after Javarqa fell." Norseden told us. "He was a backbone. You can't live without a backbone here." The Eagles tried to remain strong, but clearly, it wasn't enough. Norseden's agility came at the cost of his size, so he was unable to do anything to slow down opposing attackers.

Minute after minute, the Eagles were edging farther and farther off a cliff. The Kanyori were getting closer and closer. Eventually, it clicked for them, and Elba came in with a shot past the tired Lankiv. Norseden had been unable to do anything, and Shouzvenkreden was too slow to catch up. Edsmontik was drawn at the 78th minute, and with not much time left, they would have to find a goal to keep the winstreak.

In the 85th minute, that opportunity approached. Stuero received the ball from Ghreksbvy, in a quick advance from a free kick, before slotting it home. He went wild, as did the Edsmons. However, the Kanyori were shouting "Offside! Offside!" At first, it seemed to just be a way to manipulate the referee, because Stuero seemed to be onside. However, VAR systems found something different. Stuero was half a head and a forearm ahead of the defender. Fans were wild- but in a mad way. They were mad at the fact that something like this, where only part of his head and forearm were offside, was considered offside.

Following that verdict, the score was reversed from 2-1 to 1-1. But shortly, it would become 1-2. Kandorith found an opening as the Eagles cursed their bad luck, and managed to score through Elba yet again. This time, it was in stoppage time. It was quite infuriating for the Eagles, who had worked so hard yet gotten nothing from the game.

Their game against Eraman involved a stronger team. This time, the Eagles were in the Suberarenae and were prepared to redeem themselves for their fans. Almost instantly, the Eagles advanced into their 4-2-4 position and stole the lead. In the 6th minute, Rehcikt found a very open Stuero, who used the opening of the defense to send the ball right under the Eraman keeper Wijaya, who was unable to get low enough from his dive to catch the slow moving ball.

Edsmontik continued the Eraman game with some good strength, making their way through opposing lines to eventually land another goal in, this time from Ystermakt in the 56th minute, who came in for Verto after the second half. Ystermakt managed to skip from the midfield all the way into the box after a fascinating flick-pass from Stuero, allowing ystermakt to outdribble all of his opponents and the keeper as well. To mark one of Edsmontik's most iconic goals, Ystermakt ran the ball right into the net.

Eraman had not been able to score at all, but they were getting slightly closer as the game progressed. The nation's fans were pretty loud to support their team at their mascot, the Monkey King, which walked around their section of the stands high-fiving people. Eventually, the Eraman team did find an opening. Citra Setia managed to outrun the Eagles' defenders, spinning the ball in a fashinable manner before taking his shot. That good display of skill deserved a goal. At the 86th minute, Citra Setia slammed one in behind der-Stoiuben to ease the scoreline.

With that, two more games have ended for the Eagles. one may have ended badly, but the other went pretty well. Whatever happens next could end up determining the route the Edsmons take. Will they have wins, or will they fall and be inconsistent?

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53,972 Likes - 3,271 Dislikes

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IlsenbernerDusauvre
RIP Edsmontik's streak, they had a good run with it. Let's hope this one loss won't cause the downfall of the entire team for the rest of qualifiers, even though we all know there's no way. #GOEDSMONEAGLES
11,726 Likes - 712 Dislikes

Avantr7
Edsmons have been very consistent throughout their journey, this is only a trip up. While they've definitely had some lows and big inconsistencies, this is nothing. The Eagles will pull through.
11,233 Likes - 683 Dislikes

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FEA'S DEAL IS CONFIRMED, BUT IS IT TOO LATE?

Sunday, 8/28/2033, 9:12am
Written by Darion der-Vadakt

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As FEA's deal is finalized to take place in its headquarters next Sunday beginning 7:15am, many think that Far Eastern Airlines really has an opportunity to salvage themselves under Crpostranian leadership. Some Far Eastern executives are so confident about this that they have announced the deal as a public one, meaning that it will be signed and discussed in front of press and a crowd of people. With der-Fersgard, the CEO of Far Eastern, having nowhere left to go, according to people who know him, he is "very enthusiastic about making some money off the dying airline."

However, many consider that a few weeks is too slow for the Airline, and that it is basically all over even if they come back. It is alleged that Edsmon Air has been waiting exactly for this moment, so that once FEA was knocked out, it could overtake Far Eastern Routes to have full dominance in the international market, as it was already losing domestically due to Clevr Air and Northlink. Edsmon Hopper, a subsidiary, was a failure to combat the low cost domestic carriers. Supposedly, Edsmon Air can now extend routes without competition from FEA.

People believe that Edsmon Air didn't take this opportunity quicker as FEA's prices on their routes were slashed for members of the airline's "premium" frequent flyer group, which was called 'The Compass.' Common travelers would not need to pay such high prices to fly into Edsmontik from very far. Additionally, Far Eastern, in the opinions of some passengers, served much more desirable hubs outside Touve. FEA served Kalse Bay and Woodhill, which were popular destinations. Edsmon Air served neither, but rather served Touve, which was well known, and Vaux, which was only known for Vaux Rejhaflik.

Edsmon Air has already taken over many routes, including routes covered by FEA Hub Connect. Edsmon Hopper, which has been failing, was able to connect the FEA hubs to Touve with some new routes. Just like that, business began to boom for Edsmon Air, even though it had already been booming. They just gained more money.

The question now is: can FEA strike a deal with Crpostair next week before Edsmon Air steals all of their business, putting the ancient Karmic superpower out of business? Well, stay tuned to Panzvaste Vdesmon as we prepare for Sunday's public deal signing and debate.

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SchereYvuspaster
It's almost hard to believe how the tables turned. When Edsmon Air was a young branch of Air V-Union, Far Eastern dominated. It's the whole reason Air V-Union went out. Once Edsmon Air became independent in a way and merged with Air V-Union, Edsmon Air in a way "got revenge" for FEA's dominance and ended up outperforming Far Eastern. Crazy.
10,274 Likes - 398 Dislikes

Ektrentor2933
Edsmon Air be stealing from the criminals
10,025 Likes - 453 Dislikes

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Edsmon Lineup, MD9
der-Zyfragken - Kizani, Shouzvenkreden, Norseden, Vikral - Aespana, Ystermakt, Reuhans - Rehcikt, Stuero [C] - Reiovus

Edsmon Lineup, MD10
der-Stoiuben - Kizani, Javarqa, Norseden, Jervanois - Wejikaj, Ystermakt, Ghreksbvy - Svaardaen, Stuero [C] - Bervaign

[Sel Appa]

RADIO Sel Appa

Exploring the World Cup International Showcase

NEMNENAIT—Every World Cup series, Nemnenait Square is transformed into a massive exposition of participating countries from around the world. We venture there to learn more about the nations in our group and others vying for the ultimate prize in football. The exposition expands upon the existing array of culture and cuisine here in the capital. When one enters the illustrious and storied Square, they are immediately taken with sights and sounds and smells. Its almost as impossible as it is easy to begin a tour of the festivities. We asked a few attendees and staff at our entrance for suggestions. The near universal response was to just pick a direction and wander. "Thats part of the fun". One volunteer pointed us to a large map board displaying all of the nations booth locations, while another furnished us with programs. The security presence is heavy, owing to past protests and unrest at the event from fervent Turtle fans. The FFSA under Rockwell Bates has made it a priority to reduce the rowdiness of the fanbase to improve Sel Appas image, and the safety of supporters and guests.

We soon find ourselves drawn to the Crpostran construction, which is awash with anime that is ubiquitous in our fellow independent association. One can sample the Crpo cuisine at their food stand, which they tell us pairs well with their whisky, but remains illegal under Sel Appan law. We are informed to our disappointment that we have just missed the dance troupes performance. "Come back tomorrow" is the assuring invitation. A presentation of Crpo innovations awes, as does the traditional medicine, which has found some favor with Sel Appans looking for alternatives.

Strong scents send us hopping to HUElavia, host of the much enjoyed 25th Independents Cup. Food is a major part of their promotion, with not one, not two, but three full operations to obtain om-noms. Immediately, we learn of a rice dish that has found some ingression here in the capital after the Independents. It consists of salted rice with fried plantains, fried eggs, and equally fried tomato slices, all rounded out with ample olive oil. It almost evokes our own French fried rice, but the addition of banana-like plantains make it uniquely HUE. We are advised it is a popular breakfast or lunch, but eat it anyway, unable to resist. Also attracting a crowd is a sandwich joint serving heaping portions of steak, fries, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and mayonnaise atop what resembles French bread, but somewhat different. Persuasion gets the best of us and we try it too, impressive is an understatement. One can safely predict HUElavian restaurants will start popping up all over. Heading onward, we catch sight of a sample of clothing for sale, as well as books, instruments, and more. This nation knows how to put on a celebration.

Despite a bit of a rivalry unfolding, the Reçuecn revue has proven a hit with French Sel Appans. Our qualification groupmates make clear that fromage is foremost: samples of their alpine cheeses, particularly the raclette and reblochon. Charcuterie rounds out the offerings, with many meats enjoyed in our own French region as much as in this nation. We aim to try out our French with the Reçuecians and are told our accents are distinctly Sel Appan. Our bellies bursting, we turn down the traditional fare which all appears to consist of potatoes, cured meat, and more cheese than one could think possible. Devotees of curdled milk will be at home here. We are also advised to try the wine at our next visit, as again Sel Appan law denies non-religious consumption, and our guests obviously arent keen to try the exception.

Carrying on, we find the Kwrpan cluster, another groupmate of the boys in blue. They have opted to play up their environmentalist views, knowing it would resonate with Sel Appans. The kilometers-wide "Mother River" plays a major role in the nation. Kwrpania is also known for their collectivist worldview, which finds sympathy here as well, as a socially-minded nation. The tenth ranked team is accorded much prestige in football, and they cohosted the milestone 100th World Cup that proved disastrous to our team in qualification, but otherwise was a fantastic event. Aliments are absent from the Kwrpan delegation, but it proves an immense and inspiring learning experience.

We soon discover that one could spend all hours of a day here, and still not see enough. This time-honored Sel Appan tradition more than sells itself as a valuable contribution to the unique reception of internationalism. This notorious plaza which has hosted many a protest has truly transformed into a demonstration of peace and unity. If anything, this is the true spirit of the World Cup. Listeners and readers would do well to join us here during the qualifiers. At the very least, you will be well fed, but coming away with a greater perspective of the world is a virtual guarantee. Until next time, this is Radio Sel Appa. ❇

[Busoga Islands]

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

President Kavak, sitting in a meeting with his sports minister, Ozgu Remzi

Today was the big day for President Kavak. He had delayed, quite a bit, on this decision- he didn't want to look like he was taking out personal, petty revenge on Delbin Kasekende Sr. But it was clear- the former President was on top of the world on the Busoga Islands. Kicking ass in the Commonwealth elections, and his arrival in Quebec was huge- the body got moderate amount of coverage, but it was rare for a former head of state to be a member of the Commonwealth Parliament. Immediately punching above his weight, since the Busogans have the minimum seat allocation in the body- just two seats. The chances that he would use the post to run for President, were extremely high. And the fact that, without being on the pitch, he has made himself synonymous with the success of the Busogan national team- well, simply too many ways for him to make himself popular. There was only one option- he had to go. The national team being in the midst of a brutally tough Qualification battle be damned- President Kavak had confidence that they could qualify, without Kasekende Sr. at the helm.

Ozgu Remzi, of course, was the sports minister. He had been there for a year- formerly occupying some junior roles in the finance ministry, before taking on this role in a cabinet reshuffle. Remzi was known for his gridiron career- particularly, being the Islamic University of Busoga's starting QB in their first NSCF season- not NSCF 31, the one everyone remembers, but NSCF 21- when the Caracals went 2-11. A terrible season, of course, but hey- talk about a way to make yourself known. He wasn't that good of a QB, and his pro career was not good either, flaming out of the GFLB after just 2 years, and only throwing 2 passes in his professional career. Well, still a former pro football player, he went into finance for a long time, before deciding to start up in politics. From suburban Lakiska, it was his second term as a member of the Busogan Parliament.

Delbin Kasekende Sr. had pioneered the legislation putting BISA(Busoga Islands Soccer Association) under the direct authority of the sports ministry, with power vested both in the sports minister, and the President directly. That was how he was able to appoint himself the head of BISA in the first place. President Kavak, then technically, could do it himself. But he felt it would be more dignified if there was a process- but more practically, allowing Remzi to face the music in front of what would be a raucous Parliament.

"Can you handle this, Ozgu?" The President asked.

"Of course I can, Mr. President." Remzi replied. "That bastard Delbin's gotta go. Who the hell allowed former Presidents to run for office anyways? He's elected, so nothing can be done- but hey, he should be focused on his day job as an elected representative of the people. Allowing him two, unrelated, full-time jobs is a disaster..."

They conversed on how they would handle this. And then, in 2 hours time- lights, camera, action.

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Ozgu Remzi, making a ministerial statement in front of Parliament

Unless it was the Finance Minister, or Foreign Minister, these ministerial statements were usually sparsely attended. But it didn't take a genius to figure out what was about to be announced on the floor today- so every single elected member of the legislature was in their seat. Technically, better attendance than the budget announcement, just two months ago! But it was a big deal- the opposition was fuming, and many backbenchers in the governing party feared the blowback. But- there was no turning back now.

"ORDER!" The speaker gaveled. "Thank you for coming today. The honourable Ozgu Remzi, please take the floor."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker." Remzi gulped, looked around- and began speaking. "I stand before this august body today, to make a strong pronouncement. BISA, and Busogan football in general, is in a wildly different place than it was 4 cycles ago." The opposition started chanting 'Ka-sek-end-de', while the Speaker ordered their silence. When silence was had, the minister continued. "The circumstances that surrounded the appointment of the former President, no longer exist. Busogan football is in a stronger place than it has ever been. Top 20 in the KPB+. Two World Cup appearances in the last three cycles- and both times, we reached the knockout stages. To say that this is the result of one man, a suit, is folly." He was booed and cheered- and continued speaking.

"It is the result of Busogan ingenuity, Busogan togetherness- our willingness, as a nation, to invest in our footballers. In our clubs, in youth development, in obtaining, and retaining, a world-class manager, by the name of Emeline Millet. But that is all under threat." He looked around, for his dramatic pause. "When BISA is ran by people who are focused on politics, who have other jobs, well- we run the risk of losing focus! We have serious and legitimate goals here, but Delbin Kasekende Sr. has a day job. He is an elected representative of the people, who should be focused on Commonwealth affairs in Quebec- none of this focusing on football. WE should pay the footballers to focus on football, and the politicians to focus on politics- not one guy, pretending to be superman, to do both!" That got a massive reaction- some serious boos from the opposition, who supported the former President.

"That is why, right now, I am signing an order that relieves Delbin Kasekende Sr., of his position, his salary, benefits, and all duties at BISA- effective immediately." He made a show of sitting down, having a sheet of paper placed in front of him, and signing it dramatically. He held it up in the air- the jeers of the opposition overwhelming the cheers of the government backbenchers, who were still unsure whether or not the President was right. "He has a job- and he should be allowed to focus on it. Let him serve as an elected official, and allow BISA to be ran by the professionals. Shakeel el-Salih, former member of the original Busogan NT, will be appointed as the new head of BISA, effective immediately."

The reaction, was as expected. A raucous debate- members of Kasekende Sr's party really attacking the government, while the government fiercely defended their position. If the NT's performance crashed after this potentially destabilizing firing, well- it would surely be a disaster for President Kavak...

[Kwrpania]

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WORLD CUP 101

Three wins from four send Electric Eels top

SAZDOBSED, NORTH PROVINCE – A poor showing in Eastfield Lodge was the only stain on what has otherwise been an excellent run for the Electric Eels in World Cup qualification.

As the Lodger detailed, the Eastfielders dominated throughout despite their shaky start to qualification, with goals from Ingersleben and Caceres lifting them to a comfortable 2-0 victory. Speaking to KBN1 after the defeat, which saw Kwrpania drop to fourth in the group, manager Dobgazoz-bof vowed to turn things around, pledging a ferocity in the upcoming home match against Super Earth in Tygnad that would be the spark towards the automatic qualification that the side desired.

The spark would in fact be found, as the deep mist rolled in over Thundering Falls Stadium. It didn't appear that way at first - Hotstuff and Holdfast combined excellently down the right wing to spring past Mamzwb-bab, and Hotstuff's left footed curling effort sailed into the top corner of Fakswr-rof's goal, silencing the crowd and giving the unfancied Senators a shock early lead. That would the last of the major opportunities, however, as the Electric Eels showed the form previously seen in their dismantling of Boring Paradise in Mebfygme. Concerted pressure was to follow, with the Kwrpan side racking up ten shots in as many minutes not long after the goal, and shortly after the half-hour mark the pressure finally told, with a simple but direct corner kick routine finding the captain Magnws-rym at the back post, nodding home simply for their second goal of the campaign.

It would take until the hour mark for the Electric Eels to find the lead, but it would come, and it was the talisman again, pouncing on a loose ball inside the area to thump it home with their right foot. The dam had well and truly broken, and as the Senators shook from the punch of going down amidst a growing number of flares in the misty stands, a misplaced pass led to another Kwrpan corner, and Magnws-rab again found Magnws-rym's head for the captain's hat-trick and a doubling of the lead for the Electric Eels within minutes. The dominance continued through the remainder of the half, and the captain added a cherry on top with another poacher's goal, lashing a loose ball into the top left corner, before winger Fyrek-nam found the cross from their opposite winger to nod home from close range to add a fifth.

Spirits raised, it was off to Reçueçn for the Electric Eels' toughest tie of qualification, at least on paper. The Stade National was not a particularly friendly place to visitors, and les Licornes were riding an eighteen-game unbeaten streak, so the focus was clear and crisp. Dobgazoz-bof called for "ultimate respect" from their side, emphasizing that while it would of course be difficult, few teams in the multiverse could match these Electric Eels when playing at the top of their game, as they themselves had proven during their electric (ha!) run in World Cup 100. So the electricity would continue, as would Magnws-rym's blistering form, as the captain gave their side the lead early on with a cheeky lob. It would be shortly before the half, however, that the aggressive nature of the Kwrpan side stung them yet again, with the bunkering Reçuecians surprising the Kwrpan defense with a blistering counter-attack ending with a tidy finish by striker Héloïse Asselineau. The second half would be Vabwpetob-zok's show, however, and the midfielder showed their class, first picking Reçuecian midfielder Théophile Thériault's pocket to release themselves for a cool finish past keeper Moesha Ziswiler, then beating Ziswiler again with mere minutes left on the clock, this time with a thumping effort from distance that crashed off the post and into the back of the net. While many Kwrpan fans left the game satisfied and yet a little frustrated with the victory amid the deep contrast in footballing philisophy, Dobgazoz-bof had nothing but praise for their hosts, dubbing it "one of the top games in qualification this cycle" and noting his anticipation for the return leg at the National Stadium as qualification drew down.

Following the high of a top-quality victory would be relatively easy, and a fully-rotated side made short work of a Taeshan side that has otherwise performed extremely well so far on their return to the international stage. The opener would come from a rather unorthodox direction, as a rare long-throw from fullback Synydwb-pyt wasn't properly cleared, falling to striker Vabwpro-pyt for their first goal of the cycle, ripping a shot with their left into the top left corner. Pykpyzwba-nam was forced into a few quality saves, and on the hour mark elicited a standing ovation from the Sazdobsed City Stadium crowd, barely lifting a wicked effort over the bar that seemed almost behind them. Denrefwp-bok would display their potential in the final minutes, however, first pouncing on a loose ball to slide home from ten yards, then drawing a penalty which they converted in the final minutes of regulation time to treble the lead and secure all three points from an excellent stretch for the Electric Eels.

Up next for the national team is a trip to a neutral site to play the Wondering Refugees to mark the halfway point of qualification, before the schedule refreshed with a revenge match at River Society Arena against a Bhumi Matawis side that inflicted defeat on the Electric Eels in their opener. As always, all of Kwrpania's 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.

Eastfield Lodge 2-0 Kwrpania
Lodger City Memorial Stadium
Lineup: Fakswr-rof; Magnws-bym, Bezypman-bof, Rynropeka-pyt, Mamzwb-bab; Fyrek-nam, Magnws-rab, Vabwpetob-zok, Pabofen-nam; Magnws-rym, Denrefwp-bok
Goals: None

Kwrpania 5-1 Super Earth
Thundering Falls Stadium, Tygnad, Kwrpania
Lineup: Fakswr-rof; Synydwb-pyt, Bezypman-bof, Fandwrsw-vyz, Mamzwb-bab; Fyrek-nam, Magnws-rab, Vabwzyb-kes, Pabofen-nam; Magnws-rym, Rynropeka-gyv
Goals: Magnws-rym 33' 59' 61' 86', Fyrek-nam 89'

Reçueçn 2-3 Kwrpania
Stade National, Reçueçn, Reçueçn
Lineup: Fakswr-rof; Magnws-bym, Bezypman-bof, Rynropeka-pyt, Mamzwb-bab; Fyrek-nam, Magnws-rab, Vabwpetob-zok, Pabofen-nam; Magnws-rym, Denrefwp-bok
Goals: Magnws-rym 24', Vabwpetob-zok 48' 86'

Kwrpania 3-0 Taeshan
Sazdobsed City Stadium, Sazdobsed, Kwrpania
Lineup: Pykpyzwba-nam; Pykpytyr-byz, Fandwrsw-vyz, Vepybwń-bof, Synydwb-pyt; Pykpytyr-myf, Vabwzyb-kes, Konoztyr-rym, Venzemzwb-myf; Denrefwp-bok, Vabwpro-pyt
Goals: Vabwpro-pyt 27', Denrefwp-bok 75' 88'

Wondering Refugees vs. Kwrpania
Unknown Stadium
Projected Lineup: Fakswr-rof; Synydwb-pyt, Bezypman-bof, Fandwrsw-vyz, Mamzwb-bab; Fyrek-nam, Magnws-rab, Vabwzyb-kes, Pabofen-nam; Magnws-rym, Rynropeka-gyv

Kwrpania vs. Bhumi Matawis
River Society Arena, Zońkwsed, Kwrpania
Projected Lineup: Fakswr-rof; Magnws-bym, Bezypman-bof, Rynropeka-pyt, Mamzwb-bab; Fyrek-nam, Magnws-rab, Vabwpetob-zok, Pabofen-nam; Magnws-rym, Denrefwp-bok

---

BRIGHT LEAGUE

Bright League rebranding: Sunset Coast

The rebranding process for the Bright League continues - this time with Sunset Coast, the team of the West. One of the few privately owned-and-operated clubs in the Bright League, Sunset Coast fans love the beach (especially considering their stadium's placement directly next to it), the sun, and the scintillating football their team at time provides - though results have fallen since professionalism, as the West Province side were the final Bright League champions of the pre-professional era, but have failed to finish in the top three since. They remain able to console themselves with their main accolade, though - they are the lone team to have won the Bright League and Kwrpan Cup in the same season twice, accounting for half of the times it's ever been done.

---

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WORLD CUP 101 – Audioslavia extend clean sheet streak to ten
SOUTH PROVINCE - "Immortal shaman" dies in shopping trolley accident

[Banija]

Part 1

Adrien Manaudou, sitting in his high-rise penthouse apartment in Hoima, the day of Banija's flight to New Eastern Canada ahead of Matchday 8

Adrien Manaudou was walking around his home. He grabbed a family photo of him, his siblings, and his parents. He really thought, long and hard, about who he was. It was the type of thing that getting married would do to you. Yes- Manaudou, who was a playboy for most of his life, had settled down and proposed. He was set to get married two days after Banija's final World Cup Qualifier- hopefully the Kadongo Kamu were not in the playoffs. But preparing for a wedding had a way of making one think very deeply. He proposed to his girlfriend, who was a beautiful Szorisian woman- and found out, a few days after they got engaged, that she was actually pregnant. It was a time that he had to really think deeply- about who he was, about the type of person that he wanted to be.

As the oldest of 3 children, he had a really interesting childhood. He was 75% Farf, if you really thought about it. He had Banijan grandmothers on both sides- his father, despite being Farf (or half-Farf, technically) was even born in La Olla- the Farf section of Busukuma. More than a neighborhood, at this point- has over three quarters of a million Farves living over there. His mother, despite having a Banijan mom, was born in Farfadillis (or, more accurately, on the island of Farfadillis). But, he had an interesting childhood. His parents, frequently, had marital issues. So despite growing up in Szoirsia until he was 6 years old, then he faced early tragedy in his life. His Mom died, in a tragic jellyfish hunting accident. His father, who worked for Lithico™, was drafted into their (paramilitary? Security forces?) whatever you would call it. So then, he had to go with his siblings, onwards to Banija- growing up with his father's mother, aka his grandmother, in Busukuma.

She did not have much money- and while living in the most Farf city in the country, she did not live in La Olla- in fact, she was way on the other side of the city. So while plenty of kids knew Farves, he had a complicated childhood. He, of course, learned the language- but he struggled to fit in culturally with many of his classmates. He had begged his grandmother to have him bussed to La Olla, but she refused- so he had a rather miserable experience at school. He, of course, got into the sport of association football- playing with his few friends, and largely becoming an excellent player. And then, when he was 15, his father's service with Lithico™ was done- and he went back to Farfadillis. His talent shone quickly, and he got into the René Skaé youth academy- the biggest club in Szoirsia. There for three years, he was a mix of good and bad. Talented player, but known as an angry person- constantly getting in fights, and being a behavioral mess. That's how, ultimately, he graduated at 18 without getting called up to the senior club- but Hoima saw something in him, and signed him.

Back to Banija- a place that, truly, he didn't like that much. But, he loved the job- and he really worked on ironing out his angry side, and becoming more focused on the pitch. He started to be a fixture in Hoima's sides, and was a key part of their S-FPL winning side just two seasons ago, helping anchor the team at center back. And it had been his success there, that had earned him an international call-up. He didn't go to ARC 6, and win the title there- but Trischuk had liked what he had seen, and ahead of World Cup Qualifying, the two had a good call. A great conversation- he'd be a backup, but would be in prime position to start in the future, and certainly, in spots, there were places and times where he would be able to contribute.

Not bad, right?

But, like we said above- he was thinking, quite deeply, about his place. His place in the world, his views of himself. He may have represented Banija- but did he really want to be considered a Banijan? He didn't think about it much, when he was called up- the chance to play in a World Cup, of course, is a dream come true for any footballer. But it was meeting his Farf girlfriend, now fiancée, that really got Adrien thinking. She was a proud Szorsian- had a literal flag in her house, spoke the language almost exclusively, and had consistently pushed Adrien to recognize his roots. But beyond all that, it was her searching for something on the internet, that really got his brain racing. A special detail, on the agreement between the RBSA(Banija), and BISA(Busoga Islands), on players that have cross eligibility.

Eligibility becomes locked after 3 senior, competitive appearances. Adrien did make his debut off the bench in Qualifying, on Matchday 4. But then, it got him thinking- he wasn't quite yet cap tied. And then, the events during their game on Matchday 6, against Darmen. Trischuk was calling him in, to enter a tied game, in a serious World Cup Qualifier. With the Golden Harp breathing down their necks in Qualifying, it was a huge match. But it popped into his head- why blow his eligibility? Maybe he hadn't really explored all of his options- could he risk it all for something that may not be a possibility? A possibility of a FFFF call-up?

"This definitely applies to the FFFF, right?" Adrien asked.

"Of course it does!" His fiancée answered. "Why wouldn't it- we share a league with both of these countries!" Was she correct? No. But as many know- perception matters more than reality.

When he had gotten home from the Darmen match, he had quite the conversation with his fiancée. She told him that she was proud of him. That his decision would be rewarded. "Honey, you made a great choice- you are a Farf, and your career can reflect that!" She was smiling when saying that. "We'll see how things go." But Adrien, of course, was under a lot of pressure. He spoke on the phone with Trischuk, and promised him that he'd be willing to play in the next game. He wasn't selected- but he was on the bench, engaged and smiling, during Banija's narrow 3-2 home win over Cobrio.

But now, it was time for him to go to the airport- in 2 days time, they'd be playing in New Eastern Canada, and he needed to catch a flight. The Cobrio match was weird. A lot of the team was shunning him- they all knew that he was faking an injury, although none of them would say it out loud. And the more he looked at the jersey on the shirt, the less that he wanted to wear it. Did he have any possibility at all of wearing the Farf NT jersey? He didn't know. But he had to stop putting on his current jersey.

Now, how to go about this? Would he, straight up, intentionally miss his flight? He sat in his kitchen. Looked at his suitcase. The taxi pulled up to his house- what to do? He sat in his kitchen, with his fiancée. "Have strength, believe in yourself- you live once." She told him. And he nodded. He was going to be resolute. He paid the taxi driver- and told him to go away. He was staying home. His phone, surely, would be blowing up soon. But there was no way he was going to New Eastern Canada.

---

World Cup Qualifying Brief - Kadongo Kamu go 6 points clear at the top of Group 15, but the question remains- where's Adrien Manaudou?

NEW EASTERN CANADA- First, the good news. After Matchday 6, the Banijans were in second place- level on points with The Golden Harp (whom we had beaten head-to-head), but behind on goal differential. But, after Matchdays 7 and 8, there has been much movement within the group. The group leaders lost twice, while this Banijan team stayed on pace- with wins against Cobrio, and a weak New Eastern Canada side, to go from level on point differential, to 6 points clear in Group 15- tied for the largest gap, between 1st and 2nd, in any group in World Cup Qualifying so far (aka after 8 Matchdays).

While the Banijans earned some strong wins, more questions were asked, than answered. The RBSA all were silent on the matter, saying it was a 'family issue', but - Adrien Manaudou, shocking at the last second, did not travel to New Eastern Canada with the team. He didn't comment publicly either on the matter, but the RBSA shut all matters. "It is an internal team issue- and he did not travel to New Eastern Canada. He will not be eligible for selection for Matchdays 9 and 10 either." While they did not go into detail publicly, all sorts of rumors are flying around. Internet people are saying everything from he's hurt, to he deliberately skipped his flight, to getting in a fight with the gaffer over playing time.

First, a sudden injury- and now, a missed flight, and a publicly announced team suspension? There is certainly more to this story than meets the eye...

[Aamathyr]

Act I (I-V)

---

For Thuraand, this morning felt a bit more secure. Sure, the rain was bucketing down (as it always seemed to do here), and sure, the accent was pretty confusing at times, but he had a way to financially support himself now. For how long? He didn't know. But what mattered was the present.

Walking down that muddy path to Mwenttshat, a heavy fog hanging in the air, he heard the call of a songbird. He wasn't sure what species it was - he didn't fancy himself an ornithologist - but its tune reminded him of some song he'd heard quite some time ago, a folk ditty about a fisherman and his wife. He couldn't remember the words exactly, but it seemed to fit the theme, so he hummed along as he entered town.

As Thuraand walked towards the harbormaster's office, humming his little ditty, he received quite a few looks from the locals - more, even, than his first day here. Avshruun, however, upon Thuraand's arrival, didn't give him just a look.

"What is that you're humming?"
"I don't know how the words go, but it's that old folk song, do-do-do-do-do, you know, like the bird."
"Thuraand, the lyrics of the song, well the part you're humming anyway, are

Once in chilly, bleak December
Began a sad and quite grim trip
Which only elders can remember
Upon some gray, forgotten ship.

... Several verses later...

Stormy, and with the moon full
The crew had to watch the waves
Overtake the sinking hull
And doom them to their deep graves.

Brave sailors, the crew did fight,
But the sea takes what it does claim,
And when the news came through the night
The captain hung himself in shame.

Do you see how that could be a problem?"
"Oh. Shit."
"Shit indeed. Stop that right now."
"Alright. Where's the work that you needed me to do?"
"Ah! A better subject! Come with me."

Thuraand followed Avshruun into his office, a dusty, cramped room with papers covering a desk that was originally nice - mahogany, Thuraand thought he recognized - but had clearly been patched up over time with whatever driftwood was lying around. On the one hand, it showed that the town was inventive and knew how to make do with what they had, especially in trying times. On the other hand, the amount of patches on the corners implied that trying times were the norm on this island.

"So? What's the work?"
"On this desk are all the treaties Aamathyr has signed with the Tjukkarl, dating back hundreds of years. The more recent ones are on the right. Start there, and work backwards, looking for a border being delineated on the sea around here. Focus on fishing rights."
"Sounds good."
"I'll leave you to it!"

Avshruun's office had a window over the bay, so the sun going through the sky along with the varying amounts of activity from the boats there was the only way to tell any time was passing. By the time Avshruun checked in on Thuraand with Shyzrroum tea - brewed properly, he explained, it was actually rather delectable, but when overbrewed like Sjashoom had intentionally done it became, well, rather similar to drain cleaner - he had gone back 129 years over the course of six hours.

It wasn't until hours after that, when the sun had long since set, that Thuraand found what he was looking for. It didn't give the Thyrom all the rights to fishing for the disputed waters, but it did establish a clear line between two islands, and that's what he had needed.

"Avshruun! I've found it!"
"Avshruun?"
"Is anyone there?"
Stepping out into the main room, and then down onto the street, Thuraand realized just how late it was, and that he seemed to be shouting like a madman. Perhaps this could wait for tomorrow, and his trip back to the inn should be silent. That seemed good. And hey - for once, it wasn't rainy, just misty.

[Farfadillis]

CUT-OFF FOR GROUPS 9-16, MD9 & MD10

[Sangti and the Filindo Isles]

O P I S Y A L - N A - P A H A Y A G

The Football Federation of Sangti and the Filindo Isles would like to inform the public that we are parting ways with Kid Marchadesch and the entire coaching staff of the national football team. We would like to thank him for all his past efforts leading the national team to a knockout stage appearance in the Campionato Esportiva 42.

Jorriel Fong, who took interim charge of the national football team in the final group stage match of the Cup of Harmony 92, will take his place for the remainder of the qualifiers. The federation will also look for a permanent manager once the qualifying campaign is concluded.

This is for immediate effectivity as of writing.

Thank you for your continued understanding, patience, and support for the national team. For the Agilang Dilaw.

Signed,

Vernon Pagcatipunan
FFSFI Chairman

OOC Note: Opisyal na Pahayag == Official Statement == Comunicado Oficial

[Kanzlia]

✦✦

| ⮌ | ☒

⮜ Previous Part

^--05--

Outside the Navy
The air went out of the apartment all at once.

A tense silence had settled over Liedwina's living room, and much to her horror, it was probably her fault this time. She had only mentioned a 'Mr. Csetkou' in passing just as Irina was shuffling off to bed. It was careless, really, But at the mere sound of that name, her sister had gone very still. Irina, who was usually the bubbly one, and lately the aloof one, was now something Liedwina had rarely seen before. It's a frightfully angry Irina. And on the few occasions she had seen this version of Irina, it had always, somehow, been Liedwina's fault.

"...You said Csetkou, didn't you." Irina asked, though It wasn't really a question.

Liedwina had never seen her sister look so horrified and livid at the same time. She genuinely had no idea what was happening.

"Hey, Irina." She kept her voice even, patting the empty seat beside her. This was always how she tried to settle arguments with her sister. Though it had mostly been disagreements about schedules, things to buy, etc. Not.. whatever this is. "Let's sit down. Talk it out."

"Calm down?" Irina's voice climbed. "Do you have any idea who he is?"

Liedwina's stomach dipped. Was she supposed to? As far as she could recall, she had never met the man before, never heard the name Csetkou in her life. "No," she said carefully. "Of course not."

Irina's eyes were sharp and searching. "Does he have black hair?"

"What?"

"Black hair." she repeated with a pitch lower, this was an interrogation now.

"Yes, but, Irina, half the city has black hair. I have black hair too-"

Irina didn't blink. "Does he have a scar on his left cheek?"

"...I think so. I'm not certain."

"A watch. Black leather strap."

"...Yes."

"Did he say something strange? Go on about 'minor details'"

Liedwina stared. "How could you possibly —"

"Because it's him." Irina's voice cracked open. "That's my ex, Liedwina. That's the ex."

A brief silence.

"...THE ex?"

"THE. EX."

The full, catastrophic scale of what she had done descended on Liedwina slowly, like something heavy being lowered by a very tired crane. It wasn't really fair to Liedwina, she genuinely hadn't known, but fairness wasn't exactly the point right now. Not when Irina is like this.

"Lookie, sis, I'm so sorry-"

"Did you agree to meet him because you knew?" Irina pressed, now she was being unreasonable. Liedwina was offended at the mere suggestion but she long knew going mad for mad was the worst decision. Irina continued, "Did you seek him out?"

"No. God, no I had absolutely no idea." Liedwina held up her hands, pleading for innocence. "It's business, that's all it is. It will be all it is. He's bringing his daughter along, so it's hardly-"

"He has a daughter?!"

The air left the room again, differently this time.

"F***!."

"Irina, wait-" Liedwina scrambled to her feet as her sister turned on her heel and stormed down the hall and into the bedroom.

BLAM.

The bedroom door hit its frame like a 533mm cannon firing its high explosive round. Well, it sounded a bit more like a 147mm cannon, but still.

Liedwina stood in the hallway. "Irina, I didn't.. I wasn't thinking, I'm sorry, please-"

Silence.

"...Irina, you know that's my bedroom too."

"SLEEP OUTSIDE."

"...Right." She exhaled slowly. There was no reaching Irina when she got like this, Liedwina knew that better than anyone. Why did you have to mention the daughter, you absolute idiot. She winced. She knew how much Irina had always wanted a family of her own back then. She thought it to be stupid, hell Liedwina always made fun of Irina for being so intrigued by the idea. It had been a careless, stupid thing to say, and she still said it anyway.

She stood alone in the dark living room, and somewhere beneath the guilt, she slowly came to terms with the implications for Saturday coming. She had a meeting with the man who had hollowed her sister out.

"What a prick," she said to the lonely living room.

Next Part ⮞

---

---

[TJUN-ia]

After a much-needed 6-point window shot us back up into 3rd, the Jaguars of TJUN-ia were feeling a lot better about themselves and where they stood in this Group 6 battle. Three points off the Top 2, Philip van Oosterend's campaign has certainly been eventful thus far, if anything else, but heading into this window, he was right where we wanted to be realistically - Top 3, hunting down 2nd. Despite those three losses, we are where we felt we would be at the start - which, on the one hand, is good to see, but also predictable as hell. We welcomed the double-bye, but we wanted to not have to go through those Playoffs at all, else risk us falling flat on our face yet again. So, despite our position, we know we have to fight for our right to get that plane straight into Bizzaroworld...so let's do this!

Beregozera Stadium in Szensky is infamous for both KS (the fan group) and for its punchy atmosphere, which all seemed in high contrast to the lovable Kittens of Valentine Z we were facing. TJUN-ia and ValZ go way back, from right at the start of our sporting history, but tonight, everyone was going to treat Clarissa Alanis Star and her squad of giants like any other high-level opponent in this sport - someone we have to take down if we want to reach our goals. The game we played with our interstellar friends was certainly more punchy than normal, but we needed those points as much as they did, and everyone was up for a bit of back-and-forth. Helen Jennifier Hiroto Morishita Chiyumi struck first in the 33rd, a brilliant work of play to poke the ball past Gloria Pon, but Sylvia Usabyimana was having none of it and headed home an equaliser in the 43rd to really put our name out there. The second half was tenser, stressful, and more controlled, but despite both teams' best efforts, no breakthrough could be found. A 1-1 draw had to be settled for and the gap remained at 3 points at HT for the whole group.

5-1-3 after 9 games isn't too bad at all, but everyone knows that we could do better if we could just break all the blocks in our collective heads. That was proven at Ke Kahua Pāʻani o Pua Aloalo in Kepu Manu as we sought revenge against Quakmybush for beating us on Opening Day. The game we ended up playing was simply a chaotic mess, with 8-combined goals and no real rhyme or reason to it all, but we did end up winning it, and that's all that matters in the end. Maryam Doutsi got a brace while Diana Sharafutdinov, Belle Whitewater and Nur Syaliza Sazali all ended up on the board in a 5-3 win we would rather not talk about defensively...

Four points from this window is not too bad at all, but everyone knows we have to keep at it if we want to put pressure on the Top 2. Serenitas Novae is next on the road trip before another huge moment as we host The Ko-orenite Constellation in Roi Ville. If we can just keep the points rolling, then the pressure above will be maintained.

GO JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE (Group 6)
(Stadium Guide can be found here)
MD1: @Quakmybush (152) L 1-2
MD2: vs Serenitas Novae (395) - Zebra Stadium, Toropo/Almadinat W 3-1 (T-4th)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD3: @The Ko-orenite Constellation (61) - Bandar Cang Prathoren W 2-1 (2nd)
MD4: @Chromatika (16) - Chromatik City Field, Chromia L 1-2 (5th)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD5: vs Vetrahjart (124) - Tiankong Stadium, Tiankong W 3-0 (3rd)
MD6: @The Republic of the United Marble Tribes (307) L 0-4 (6th)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD7: vs Stewartika (88) - Estadio Universidad Carlandas, Carlandas W 4-0 (5th)
MD8: @Cothe Saria (430) - Cedarville Stadium, Cedarville W 1-0 (3rd)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD9: vs Valentine Z (23) - Beregozera Stadium, Szensky D 1-1 (3rd)
MD10: vs Quakmybush (152) - Ke Kahua Pāʻani o Pua Aloalo, Kepu Manu W 5-3 (3rd)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD11: @Serenitas Novae (395)
MD12: vs The Ko-orenite Constellation (61) - Stade de la Victoire, Roi Ville
-------------------------------------------------------
MD13: vs Chromatika (16) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia
MD14: @Vetrahjart (124)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD15: vs The Republic of the United Marble Tribes (307) - Estádio do Pacífico, Rio Pacífico
MD16: @Stewartika (88)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD17: vs Cothe Saria (430) - Tallawah Stadium, Port Town/Portuaria
MD18: @Valentine Z (23) - Kyarpan Stadium, Mandalay

[Kimi-Suomi]

After a window that certainly dampened our spirits, the Huuhkajat of Kimi-Suomi were 5 points down in the Pitkä Tie Takaisin and looking in desperate need of a good window to get everyone back on the right track. After all the joy of two years ago, things haven't been easy for Esko Laaksonen and Kimin Armeija this time around, but considering the format and the games left on the schedule, everyone was still hopeful that we could turn things around and make a good push at Top 2 in the group. That was all everyone was hoping for now, so what can we do with those dreams? Olemmeko me enää niitä unelmien tekijöitä, joita ennen olimme?

Katsokaamme tähtiin ja näemme. A double-header at the Galaktien Colosseum, one hungry for a win after last window, would provide the backdrop for this important window - starting with a massive battle with Hanalinen. Considering the window just gone and the shape of the group, everyone knew that defeat in this contest might've been a fatal blow in our Top 2 abmissions...and the Huuhkajat took that message on board. Rafael "Griff" Griffen has a good team at their disposal, with the constant threat of Daniel Lin stressing a bunch of people out, but we ended up striking first thanks to Ebba Persson in the 33rd, and that ended up settling us down for the rest of the game. Enni Pajari's header past Coral Ortega in the 71st? The icing on this cake, a nice and simple 2-0 win to help move us in the right direction.

Part 2 in Lumikukkulat would be the rematch with Andso Mangis, who we beat 3-1 on the road in the opener of this whole campaign. Now moving in the right direction, we basically played this replay like the opener, and the home crowd certainly would not go home unhappy in the slightest. Berl Der was certainly trying to create something, but he alone was no match for our defensive efforts in this contest, and we put these visitors to the sword with ease - with goals from Gustav Brodin, Jason Jenner-Pokka and Stephania Kexholm all helping us end this window with a smile and a 3-0 win.

Now that is more like it! 5 goals scored, none conceded, and 6 points on the board to drag us back up to 3rd, 3 points off 2nd. We certainly feel better right now, but a big couple of windows lie ahead that we have to be ready for. Doychnya is coming to Pesä for one final home game before we head into hell itself - The Beltzarga in Cathair - to see if we can take anything from undefeated Ääniorjainen in their death march to Bizzaroworld. Three points from this window are a must. Anything more than that, and we might have a shot.

Helvetin portit ovat auki. Ei paluuta enää ole.
NOSTA KUIN HUUHKAJAT!

---

SCHEDULE/AJOITTAA (Group 1)
MD1: @Andso Mangis (188) W 3-1
MD2: @Doychnya (395) W 1-0 (2nd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD3: vs Ääniorjainen [Audioslavia] (8) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki L 0-1 (3rd)
MD4: @Bharatamandala (325) D 0-0 (3rd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD5: vs Venäjän Imperiumi EPL [Russian Empire EHA] (343) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki W 3-1 (2nd)
MD6: @Pyazhnaya (30) - Krasnograd Dome, Krasnograd L 0-3 (3rd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD7: vs Länsi-Vdara [West Vdara] (70) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat D 1-1 (4th)
MD8: @Abanhfleft (83) L 1-2 (4th)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD9: vs Hanalinen [Hanalia] (91) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat W 2-0 (4th)
MD10: vs Andso Mangis (188) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat W 3-0 (3rd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD11: vs Doychnya (395) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki
MD12: @Ääniorjainen [Audioslavia] (8) - The Beltzarga, Glassbridge, Cathair
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD13: vs Bharatamandala (325) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki
MD14: @Venäjän Imperiumi EPL [Russian Empire EHA] (343)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD15: vs Pyazhnaya (30) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat
MD16: @Länsi-Vdara [West Vdara] (70) - Grand Amphitheater of the Proletariat, Agios Stavros
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD17: vs Abanhfleft (83) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki
MD18: @Hanalinen [Hanalia] (91) - National Stadium, Hanalia(?)

[Dantopia]

---

VOL. 46,154

LION CITY, DANTOPIA WEDNESDAY 13TH MAY, 2026

₵100

---

Dantopia Draw For First Time in Qualifying Run

---

Lions Retain Top Spot In Group 4 So Far, Following Four Games Played — Face Gwarkos Next

---

By SAUL ARNSTEIN

Gēcko Arena

Dantopia2-2Auprussia

Half Time: 0-1

Brunson 50', 60'Cromwell 13' (O.G.)

Saloux-Chard 66'

See also... MD1 | MD2 | MD3

LION CITY, DANTOPIA — Rick Bishop's Dantopia side were held to a 2-2 draw against Auprussia at Gēcko Arena — despite two goals from Bradini Brunson — as the Lions came from behind. The hosts would go down one due to an Emerson Cromwell own goal in the first half. However, Dantopia would battle back and, after having two attempts agonisingly cleared off the line either side of a disallowed Kahananui strike, went ahead when Brunson scored twice within the opening fifteen minutes of the second half, which turned the game completely on its head.

An equaliser from Auprussian substitute Miren Saloux-Chard got the visitors back on level terms entering the final quarter of the match, which the hosts very nearly netted a dramatic late winner in, when Elleby Young struck the crossbar in the closing stages. The Lions had registered thirty shots by full-time and were unfortunate not to have been able to take more than a point away from the encounter — though resilience shown from the Auprussian defence certainly also played a part in helping the away side scrape a draw.

Captained once again by Ezra Cunningham, Dantopia lined up in their customary 4-3-3 shape, with Watanabe and Kealoha accompanying the Club ESF ace in the midfield three, and the width being provided by the lively Nico Hollins on the right and the imaginative Taramaia on the left. It would be that left hand side where the visitors would pounce on a breakdown of communication between Taramaia and Kealoha, however. Auprussian winger Samuel Lithobert would intercept the play and bring the ball up quickly on the counter-attack, drilling a low cross into the box that looped up and off Emerson Cromwell, over the helpless Alex Bullvale, and into the far side of the Lions' own net. 1-0 to the visitors.

On an uncharacteristically brisk night in the capital, the 13th-minute deficit was replied to, not only by the cheers of the away fans, but also by an unwavering roar from the home crowd — who, seeing their side needing a little extra pep in their step, rallied the team onwards. There would be a response from the hosts, when Brunson got his first clear-cut chance of the match, heading a Taramaia cross directly at Gallis, the Auprussian number one, between the sticks. This was the first obvious opportunity for an equaliser, fashioned by the Dantopians, midway through the first half, but more would quickly follow as Bishop's men gained an increased foothold on the match. Kealoha clipped a clever free kick over towards Keegan Foster, who's head across goal was met by Nico Hollins and nodded towards the far post. The Auprussian defence had it covered, however, with Aregnac-Tignon clearing the ball off the line and safely away for a corner.

From that resulting corner, Dantopia did find the net, but Kahananui's celebrations were short-lived. The left-back looked to have fired home his first goal of the qualifying campaign, and second overall, after a deflection broke to him just inside the penalty area. The 20-year-old's rifled effort managed to pierce through the crowd like a bullet, and into the back of the net, but with lots of pushing and shoving in the box, the goal was disallowed for a foul by Foster on Mensbard. Honestly, the referee could have picked several other challenges to stop the play too, but Foster wrestling the Auprussian down to the ground was the most flagrant. Bishop's befuddled expression on the touchline suggested he thought the decision was harsh, but his players had no time to dwell on it, with 'the Raptors' soon breaking forward in the other direction. Rohel Vimnirre, on the end of a left-sided attack, drilled his shot across Bullvale's goal and narrowly wide.

The chance was an anomaly in the sequence of events, as it was Dantopia starting to dominate the count as the end of the first half approached. Gallis looked quite comfortable collecting a rolled effort from Brunson, and a volley from Ezra Cunningham was also straight-forward to catch, after it had been robbed of its pace and precision with a well-timed defensive block. The goalkeeper was put to work a little more when Brunson found his head on the end of a cross from Hollins, Gallis stretching to tip it over the crossbar. Only two minutes of stoppage time were added at the end of the first period, but this was long enough to see Dantopia threaten again. Jeremiah Taramaia expertly weaved his way around defenders Di Portefenisa and Aregnac-Tignon, before a little dinked effort over the goalkeeper was heroically cleared off the line by Vermanditre — the full-back acrobatically removing the danger with an airborne stretch.

Bradini Brunson

Taramaia was denied once more within the opening few minutes of the second half, this time by Di Portefenisa, but the early attack showed that Dantopia's intent had been carried through the interval. This persistence soon paid dividends, as Bradini Brunson got his first of two goals on the evening, occurring just five minutes after the restart. Johnny Kealoha threaded a pass over the top of the Auprussian back-line, which was beautifully weighted for Brunson to meet it in stride and hit on the half-volley across the goal and into the far post. This marked Kealoha's third assist on qualifying so far, and Brunson's third goal of the cycle as well.

Then, from a similar position to Brunson's strike, Kealoha nearly had a comeback goal of his own, when, moments later, a pass from deep by Emerson Cromwell found the 30-year-old making a run into the box. The resultant strike hit the inside of the near post, and bounced away, much to the frustration of the Kyethas Rivermen midfielder, and much to the relief of the Auprussian goalkeeper. The continued pressure was encouraging for the home crowd, and the Lions next threatened from a set-piece. Kealoha was involved yet again, as it was a corner delivery by him from the left side that was headed wide by Keegan Foster from close range. It was a golden opportunity passed up, but the match didn't remain level for much longer. On the hour mark, just before both sides opted to make changes, Bradini Brunson struck again to make it 2-1, showing expert composure to angle his right foot in such a way that it ricocheted the ball into the back of the next following a cross from Nico Hollins from the right-hand side. This was now goal number four for the forward in qualifiers, as he is starting to hit a rich vein of form, scoring all four in his last three matches for the Lions.

Group 4 World Cup 101 Qualifying Round
POSNATIONPWDLGFGAGDPTS
1  Dantopia          4   3   1   0   10   4   +6   10
2  Sudilia           4   3   0   1   10   6   +4   9
3  Tanirinthia       4   2   1   1   7   5   +2   7
4  Lisander          4   2   0   2   12   12    0    6
5  Saperetia         4   2   0   2   4   4    0    6
6  Eshialand         4   2   0   2   7   7    0    6
7  Xanneria          4   2   0   2   10   11   -1   6
8  Gwarkos           4   1   1   2   4   8   -4   4
9  Allamunnic States 4   1   0   3   4   7   -3   3
10  Auprussia         4   0   1   3   3   7   -4   1

Following this, the aforementioned substitutions were made. Rick Bishop opted to go more defensive, bringing the assister Nico Hollins off and replacing him with Raphael Lacroix This would mark a change of shape from a back four to a back five — though depending on how high the wingbacks are, it could be considered a three. At the other dugout, Eleo Vicard had seen enough from Mitregasque, and replaced them with Miren Saloux-Chard, a fellow club teammate of both Alex Bullvale and Johnny Kealoha. Saloux-Chard wouldn't take long to establish a foothold on proceedings, when their fake shot with the right-foot sent double pursuers Foster and Cromwell both flying past, before calmly slotting their actual shot home with their left. 2-2 heading into the final quarter of the match, and a tied game once more.

With that parity restored, a confident-looking Brunson — on a hat-trick, of course — tested Gallis once more, but the Lion City FC striker had no luck after trapping a pass from Cunningham and firing hard and low towards the goal. Elleby Young was introduced to the match for their fourth international cap, as the Lions pushed for a winner in the closing stages. Young went incredibly close to delivering it himself, when the 22-year-old drove the ball forward from midfield, being afforded the space by a lagging Raptors defence, and unleashed a 25-yard screamer that cannoned off the crossbar. Had the ball dipped just slightly more, it would have sailed over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net. With almost the last kick of the match, the Stein-los Turkish midfielder would shoot narrowly wide, again testing Gallis. However, Auprussia would hold on for a draw at Gēcko Arena, with the two nations sharing the points.

The Lions hold onto top spot in Group 4 for now, with an away match against Gwarkos next in the calendar, followed by a home game against Eshialand, at the National Team Stadium in the capital. This will be the first of three times Dantopia play a fixture at their official home stadium in this qualifying campaign, with the other home matches being shared between several other stadiums across the country. Ten points from a possible twelve is certainly an impressive achievement so far for Rick Bishop and his side. Previous attempts by Dantopia to qualify to a World Cup finals have been met with misery thus far, but the team remain on track so far, perhaps defying expectations, especially in a group featuring the likes of Tanirinthia, Eshialand and more. It remains to be seen if the Lions can maintain their momentum and clinch one of the top spots in the group, or even a play-off place, if they should fall out of the top two.

Dantopia: Bullvale, Robinson-Tate, Cromwell (Edwards 74'), Foster, Kahananui (O'Higgins 74'), E. Cunningham (C), Watanabe (Bing 84'), Kealoha, Hollins (Lacroix 61'), Brunson, Taramaia (Young 84')

Subs not used: Akana, Taylor, Adeyemi, Thomas

Goals: Brunson (50', 60')

Assists: Kealoha (50'), Hollins (60')

Yellow Cards: Foster (33'), Robinson-Tate (41')

Red Cards: none

Lisander: Gallis, Di Portefenisa (Aeta-Gasquiere 90+2'), Aregnac-Tignon, Mensbard, Vermanditre, Thurisc-Arger, Lithobert (deu Cavaldraissaiy 76'), Vimnirre, Siebault (C), Mitregasque (Saloux-Chard 61'), Audac (Rodric 76')

Subs not used: Salvatierre, Corpres-Yzery, Tephont, Mantou, Waldemast

Goals: Cromwell (O.G.) (13'), Saloux-Chard (66')

Assists: Siebault (66')

Yellow Cards: Di Portefenisa ('68)

Red Cards: none

xg.unit

1d

Dantopia (2.31) 2-2 (1.25) Auprussia #DANvsAUP #WorldCup101 #Qualifying #Group4

---

OOC DISCLAIMER: The likenesses of players and managers have been created with the help of generative AI. Every other image in this RP was completely hand-made.

[United States Of Alpha]

MatchDay7 Results:
United States of Alpha 3, Choppyhausen 4

Summary: Bro, why do we keep losing by just that much? I don't know man I'm just kinda mad right now.

after the game:
ItzSarath: What the actual f*ck bro.

NotJustBry4: Why do we have to keep missing it by that much!? I'm going to lose it!

noobus: Uggggggh, I don't feel like giving motivational speeches today, other than the 6-7 gimmick failed horribly.[/i]]

Hookem2019: Unless we start winning again, I'm just gonna go eat wings and have a beer every night. [/box]

MatchDay8 Results:
United States of Alpha 0, Kharakia 3

Summary: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

after the game
[NULL]

_{Up Next
United States of Alpha vs. Eriadni again
United States of Alpha @ Afanc Strait again}

[Busoga Islands]

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

President Kavak, watching Busoga's match against Edsmontik from his house

The President would normally be in attendance, personally, for a game like this. Welcoming the group's big boss, the first place, pot 1 Edsmontik squad into town. He had wanted to- but his move to fire Delbin Kasekende Sr. had, of course, not been the most popular among football fans. Many Busogans remembered the dark ages of Busogan football- not even participating in World Cup Qualifying because they were so bad, and when even the mere idea of Qualifying for the biggest tournament in the sport felt like a mere pipe dream. For 2 of the last 3 cycles, however, the Islanders were participants in the World Cup Finals- and it was the type of taste of success where fans did not want to see it go. The reality, how they've got exactly one team in the whole country in a top flight, that they are fighting against the tide, and that this current run is not the new normal, it just a blip, has also dawned upon many Busogans. And the fear, that being in the group of death, combined with organization instability up top, would see them not make their third World Cup in four tries, but see them condemned to the hellscape called the Cup of Harmony- was a fear that the Islanders did not want to deal with.

The matchgoing fans in the Busoga Islands, as one could imagine, were among Kasekende Sr's biggest supporters. It was certainly a gamble by President Kavak. A double edged sword. If the Busogans could still qualify for the World Cup- particularly in one of the group's top two automatic spots- some of the furor, especially among football fans, might die down a little. Or, a lot. They'll be confident that Kasekende Sr. laid the foundation, but that footballing success for the country can continue without him. But if they are in Pot 1 of the next Cup of Harmony... Well, there will be anger- and there will be one obvious place to have it. In the lap of President Kavak. On Matchday 9, in Busoga's home match against a last place Serumpun team, fans held up signs- 'say yes to Delbin'. Was it possible he got booed at Matchday 10? Not guaranteed, but certainly possible. It was fairly simple- he wouldn't attend the match, but watch from home.

And, well- he picked the absolute craziest game to watch from home. Edsmontik, remember, were masters of Qualifying- 4/4 all time in Qualification attempts, including their first ever one, after winning Baptism of Fire 84. This is a nation that is flying up the ranks. 8 wins, and a singular loss, across all of Qualifying. And with this Pot 1 v. Pot 2 match, it was probably one of, if not the singular, wildest games President Kavak had ever seen. Goals galore. Everybody was scoring at will, as the normally defensively stout Busogan squad seemed willing, and able, to go punch for punch, in a wide open match with the Edsmon Eagles. It helped when, in a 3-3 game, Edsmontik's center back was shown a second yellow, for a particularly bad tackle on Ayben Uzun. The Busogans did eventually build themselves a 6-4 lead, 78 minutes into the match, with Al-Abib scoring the 6th goal of the game. Figure from there, Lakiska roaring, the game's over- right?

The answer, is no. Busoga Islands are built to defend leads like that. And yet- it was Edsmontik that would climb their way back into the match. The Islanders matched their red cardness, when Fajkat Balli, one of our starting centerbacks, had a deliberate handball in the box, when the ball was bouncing around- a penalty had to be given. A straight red card was given, as well- authorities have already confirmed that he will miss Matchdays 11-13, as well, as a punishment for his red card. Edsmontik slotted home the penalty, to make it 6-5 in the 82nd minute. And the visitors kept pushing, fighting for that draw, to give them breathing space on top of Group 11. And in the 87th minute, they found their answer- another good cross found the head of one of their attackers, and a great, looping head made the score 6-6. President Kavak threw his glass on the ground. Not happy.

But, the Busogans were ready. It was 10v10, ensuring that there was a ton of open space on the pitch. If the Busogans wanted to have a shot at winning the group or at least finishing in one of the group's two automatic qualification spots, this was almost a game that they had to have. Edsmontik was getting too far away from them- and a 2 horse race, between Busoga and Qusmo, was not how the Islanders wanted things to go. But fortunately, with all of that open space, it was the Busogans that would find a winner. In the 3rd minute of stoppage time, from 7 given, it was the team's best attacker, Abu Sesay, who would win the match. A nice cut inside, and a bending shot at the 18- one that just went past the outstretched, diving arms of the Edsmontik goalkeeper. "COME ON!" The President yelled, watching with just a few others, as the Busogan fans went wild all across the country.

The highest scoring game, by far, in Busogan history- and the Busogans took a critical 3 points. And for the President, a huge relief. The team was unbeaten since he had taken the action to fire the former head of BISA- nobody could say, at least so far, that it has affected things on the pitch. A long way to go, mind you- this was a group that seemed almost destined for the top 3 spots, or at least, the race for the 2nd slot, to go all the way down to the Final Day.

The President, always ready for social media, posted a selfie of himself in a jersey, with a few staffers, with two simple words- Forza Busoga! Everyone knew what that meant- 6 points to the national team, but point one to President Kavak.

---

The Lakiska Daily

Busogans win wild thriller in the capitol over Edsmontik, with 7-6 victory resetting expectations in Group 11

LAKISKA, BUSOGA ISLANDS- Group 11 was seen by many to be a potential group of death in World Cup Qualifying, It met all the qualifications- as Qusmo's Mathletic can tell you far more eloquently than we can. And after 10 games, we can confidently say- this is surely a group of death. The Busogans, so far at least, have protected home field, winning all 5 home games, while being 'just' 3-2 away from home. But just past the halfway point, this group is as tight as it gets, as least in the race for the automatic qualification spots. The top two go to the World Cup directly, and the next 3 enter the playoffs in various rounds- 3rd place, of course, in the final round. But you don't have to be a genius to know this- direct qualification is vastly superior to even one round of a two-legged playoffs, and these three teams- Edsmontik, Busoga, and Qusmo- are racing towards those slots.

Edsmontik have 24 points on top of the group, while Busoga and Qusmo each have 22 points- we currently have the advantage over Qusmo due to our head to head advantage, from beating them on Matchday 2. But after a huge contest, at home, against Edsmontik, we've got an equally large match, away, against Qusmo. Traveling to Rushmore is never easy- and this will be about as difficult as it gets. All eyes will be on the Mastad Qusma, which holds 80,000 people. Emeline Millet spoke to reporters about the challenge. "Starting the second half of qualifying, against the two best teams in your group, back to back... Well, it's certainly a much more difficult schedule path than I would have wished for." She told reporters. "But, we showed against Edsmontik how far we have come, as a program. For many years, everyone would have said that Busoga lacks the firepower to win such a high-scoring, open match. While the style is not what we wanted, we showed the world something important- we fear nobody, and can, and will, go toe to toe with anyone, anywhere, in any play style. It gives us confidence, and in the toughest environment we have remaining in qualifying, it will be something we can build upon."

It will be a challenge, particularly since the Islanders will have their starting centerback, Fajkat Balli, suspended for 3 matches. "Well, it's next man up." The team captain, Coro Dibahari, told reporters. "Obviously, Balli is an important player, critical to what we do- but you don't get through World Cup Qualifying with just 11 guys. You've got to have all 22 contribute, at various parts of the campaign, and now it is Ilhan Cagri's turn. I know, he's only 20 years old- but for a team like this, the future is the present, and the present is the future. This will not only be valuable experience for him- we think that he can help right now." For the 20 year old to get his first international start, in a game as big as Busoga's visit to Qusmo, is surely a difficult task- but we will see if he can answer the call.

Of course, there is some chaos around the NT. Everyone knows about how the head of BISA was fired by the President of the entire country. While most players, and the manager, haven't spoken about it, Delbin Kasekende Jr- the son of the former head of BISA, Delbin Kasekende Sr., spoke briefly about it. "I do not want to call out anybody, and my Father can defend himself." The assistant manager told reporters. "But there are people operating around the national team whose focus, is not this team- but their selfish ambitions. They would rather see Busoga fail, if they are not in a position to take all of the credit. And that, I think, is sad. This team is tough, and very together- mentally, emotionally, physically. We will not be slowed down. But just because our goals are still in front of us, it does not mean it can be ignored when an injustice has been done."

We are sure that this is far from the last twist and turn of this particular saga.

[Audioslavia]

Zero Heroes
Audioslavia’s defence captivates nation

Ten games in. Ten wins. Ten clean sheets. Ten points clear in first place. Marks out of ten? About ten million.

Number ten, Cam Hooper, responsible for the only goal of a game that Hanalia had had the better of. Rolling the ball underfoot at the edge of the area, feinting a pass, chipping the ball over the defender’s standing leg, snapping a low shot inside the near post before goalkeeper Coral Ortega could set themselves for what they must have assumed would be a cross.

Yet the heroes of the show are not the goalscorers, but the defenders. Audioslavia’s goal has remained chaste. Ruy Palma, about whose form and talent so much was written in the lead up to the qualifiers, has been epic. “A downgrade on Helder” my bunghole. On those few occasions that the defensive line has been breached, Palma has stood tall and resolute. No errors. No dramas. Just one heroic - a close-range flail at Arun Reyes’s far-post header, with the scores still at zero each, that redirected a downwards header wide of the goal by a hair.

The defensive line has taken on mythical status on previously blank walls of apartment blocks and semi-detatched houses on the corners of the streets of Cathair, Izotzazubia, Ferramendiak and afar. One mural in Puertacruz depicts an early renaissance scene. A football goal shrouded in a halo, protected by six men. Palma, in the centre, winks at the camera and clasps a football in gloved hands. Either side, centre halves Goran Yurán and Koren Lorentzen smile cheekily and baldly respectively, the former with an ounce of smug, as if he once scored a 40-yarder in a World Cup final or stomething. The latter, smouldering slightly for the camera, has been fierce in every game. On the far right, Gryff Gould looks like he’s been up for three days doing cheap speed to prepare him for an afternoon of breaking foreign ankles. His habit of picking up yellow cards seems to have been dropped, recently. He only has the one, and that in the opening Hanalian game.

On the far left, Uriah Malcom, who only a few years ago was looking old beyond his years and, unfortunately for him, but through no fault of his own, balding beyond his years. Now, after a brief visit to Kjeligsted, his hair has a new lease of life. A proudly dishevelled new barnet a reflection of his new role on the rightmost flank of the defence. Too fast for opposing full-backs, still capable of the occasional rampage forward even at the age of 33. He folds his arms and looks like the coolest guy you’ve ever seen. The just leaves Gostamuito, who is as imposing as ever. A footballing ogre repurposed as a trebuchet, launching footballs from the Audioslavian castle to whoever might be brave enough to stand outside our gates.

Above all six men, the words ‘NO PASSARUNT’ in proud, chiselled capital letters. Someone has already scrawled “ya c***s” below it in pink spray paint.

The ‘Ming Vase Metric’ is a trending statistic that tracks how deep every team in World Cup history has been able to get into qualifiers without conceding a goal. Invented by your very own Aesthetic, admittedly only because Audioslavia had gone a few games without conceding and we wanted to tell everyone how cool that was, Audioslavia’s progress from the 33rd best performance of all time to, now, joint second, has piqued the interests of nerds everywhere. One further clean sheet away to struggling Andso Mangis, who themselves have only scored seven goals in ten games thus far, would tie the Bulls with the record-holding Sarzonians for eleven straight games withoiut conceding a goal.

[Soviet Kem]

Matchday 9&10

Lalia:Welcome back to The VARroom! We just came off of two wins for Soviet Kem.

Bahav: I am so happy that we got two wins! However, they were close wins. with the closest being five - four. We are still third in the group, which is great considering who is in the group, but we are still third! If Zaggy Nocklov doesn't get this team in line, I say that he should be sacked. I am still researching who should be the next manager, but my shortlist includes Anzhela Serebryak, Xakov Karayunk, Klara Bovidinski, Yelena Yoichisigi and Rin Soyoteshi.

Stev: Really? how many people are you considering Bahav?

Bahav: Around twenty-five, I think.

Yasmin: Well, if you ever get it down to three tell us. You just really want to sack people if they are doing anything wrong, don't you?

Bahav: I mean the team is clearly good enough, so yea I blame the manager.

Lalia: So, are we just not going to talk about the game?

Bahav, Stev, & Yasmin: Correct!

Lalia: Okay...

Bahav: There are just so many good options, it's hard to choose.

Stev: You are the one who suggested Nocklov to become the manager. Why are you going against him?

Bahav: Because he is failing...

Yasmin: This will get livid, I think we should cut...

*Screen goes black*