Nakiti Robotics & Axx Software Opportunity Cup

[Oberour Ar Moro]

...Tobias de la Valliere was fulfilling his duties as team captain and giving a speech. "We shouldn't look past Grittonia! We need to put all the distractions with them out of our minds and just take it one game at a time."

Matthew Brabantine leaned over to me. "Bet he can't beat three cliches in a row."

"I'll put five argentus that he can."

Tobias was trying to make us forget about the will-they/won't-they drama of withdrawing, due to something about invading fellow competitors Palmouth, but it was getting caught up in a tidal-wave of jargon and catch phrases. (As it turns out the chaos was enough to put Grittonia's players out of sorts, and we won with Maxentius [Hersart de la Villemarqué] and Matthew scoring to lead us to a 2-0 victory. I played 17 minutes with one poor shot on goal.)

Tobias was a perfect example of the strange way the team was put together. Football was not a sport regularly played in the country, and picking from Oberour officers would guarantee a mish-mash of political choices and strange connections. Matthew and myself, who were roommates for the tournament, both competed in decathlons. Sacerdos Arundel was trained as a naval special forces soldier. Maxentius was a marathon runner, Peregrine Le Mercier d'Erm was a drill instructor.

Tobias de la Valliere was a public relations coup. He had great bloodlines. His grandfather and grand-uncle had been successful Chancellors. His father had risen to Magister Militum before his career stalled and was now leading a military academy that bared the family name. Bringing a blue-blood of his stature on-board was to show the citizens lorded over by the regime of the capacities of Oberour Ar Moro.

Which is fine on television, Tobias looked the part. He seemed to play football fairly well too. As a captain, it seemed that he had the same problem his father did. My uncle and father had said that Thoumas de la Valliere was a empty uniform that fell back on cliches instead of actual inspired leadership. As far as I could tell, Tobias was the same way. His name had earned some respect, his poor captaining skills was driving all that respect away.

Tobias continued. "We're hitting our stride and starting to gel. If we keep playing with confidence, we won't be denied!"

Matthew cursed under his breath and dug around in his pockets for his wallet...

Opportunity Cup Schedule
WIN DRAW LOSS

MD01: Oberour Ar Moro - 5 United Gordonopia - 1
MD02: Grittonia - 0 Oberour Ar Moro - 2
MD03: Antarctistan and The Yorozuya v. Oberour Ar Moro

Excerpted from Sweeper: The Inside Story of Oberour Ar Moro's First Football Team by John 't Serclaes.

[Queer Poco el Mono Ara]

In front of the home fans the Queer Poco B-Side were crushed 3-1 prompting fans to chant for new coach Joe Hamburgstein to take over as soon as possible.

Liventia took a 2-0 lead before half time with the home side looking incapable of producing a goal scoring opportunity. In the second half The Whites remained ineffective and Liventia capitalized scoring a third in the 60th minute.

The co-hosts pulled back a consolation goal with 15 minutes to play when substitute attacker Joe Carroll, on for Phillipe Deschamps, found space at the back post to head home.

Disgruntled fans vented after the game, disappointed by da Rossa’s performance as interim manager with one claiming,

“We’d have been better off without a coach. We we’re crap last night and despite whatever anyone says a 1-0 win over Palmouth is not a great victory either.”

Another disappointed supporter stated,

“Da Rossa should stick to coaching kids, he hasn’t a clue about the man’s game.”

After the game Miguel da Rossa commented,

“It’s not a great result and I understand the fans disappointment, going down 3-1 in a game at home is never great. There’s still another game yet and a chance for us to go through to the next round of the competition.”

Victory is a possibility which looks increasingly slim as the Whites have been unable to defeat The Corsairs in their last two international meetings, drawing 2-2 at Baptism of Fire 34 and most recently losing 2-1 in a pre-World Cup qualifying friendly. In the event of a win qualification for the second round may yet be impeded by a Liventia victory over Palmouth. Queer Poco’s possible advancement is therefore not just in their own hands but in the hands of the group competitors who find themselves ahead of The Whites on goal difference.

When asked for his view da Rossa commented

“There were a number of nations who entered the competition who we would rather have avoided at these early stages, including Sargossa. Knowing that we need to beat Sargossa to move on to the second round and possibly beat them by a large margin we are bound to head into this game with a defeatist attitude. Our qualification is not in our own hands, even if we are successful in beating Sargossa we need Palmouth to do us a favor and prevent Liventia taking all three points.”

Queer Poco are not the only side embroiled in a battle for the second qualification spot. In group A second spot is separated by only a single point with fellow co-hosts Unreal currently in second having picked up 2 draws in their first games ahead of Connar Republic and Docky. In group B The Macabees have already qualified with a 100% record with a game to spare, however the second spot is still wide open between Jesselton, Logria and New Fenton with Jesselton current favourites to qualify for the second round. Finally in group D the second qualifying berth is available between Grittonia and Antarctistan & The Yorozuya with both teams on 3 points.

“The final group day is going to be exciting with so many teams capable of qualifying. We need a win and Liventia need a win. The best thing to be right now is nonchalant about the whole situation and see how Saturday pans out.” Da Rossa explained the situation in group C as the final fixture loomed.

If The Whites were to succumb to a second defeat on home turf during the inaugural Opportunity Cup it would surely be a tough blow and one which the home fans were not expecting.

“I’ll be gutted if we bomb out now. I know we only played with the B-Squad but that’s not good enough. They should be up for the cup in front of their own fans.” Stated one supporter.

It may be possible to attribute The White’s performance to the presence of the B-Squad however that is unfair to both the players who have featured for their national team and the players who have played for the opposition. To take credit from a superb Liventia display and turn the tables to look at the caliber of players on display for the home side is short sighted and disrespectful. The label B-Team refers to a number of players capable of playing at the international level who have yet to be given or have one last opportunity to do so and as such those players in a QP shirt are no less skilled than those for the opposition. On this occasion Liventia outplayed The Whites, simply because they outplayed The Whites, nothing more and nothing less.

[Sargossa]

The Island Chronicle



Opportunity Knocks


It’s certainly been a whirlwind few weeks for José Marín. Mere days after steering Dínamo Maturín to a fourth place finish in the SuperLiga, making him the highest placed Sargossan coach in the league, Marín was unveiled as the Archipelago’s new national coach, replacing the retired Rob Kietecs. Although it would seem the appointment wasn’t entirely unanimous among the powers that be. According to an inside source at CMSC club El din Marbles representatives from the FFS actually met with former Ciudad Soluca boss Félix Barreto about the vacancy but were turned down. And Deportivo Cordova manager Israel Quintana, Under-21 boss Juan Manuel Del Rios and the Candelariasian duo of Hane Davis and José Felipe Cassumba Domingos were all strongly linked with the post at one time or other before Marín got the nod. The appointment also received a mixed reaction from the public who, although admiring of his attacking philosophy, are mindful that that same philosophy has won precisely nothing.

Not quite the ideal environment to start a new job in. And even less so when out of the blue you’re signed up for a tournament and given little more than a fortnight to gather together a competitive squad while being unable to call up your best players. Such was the situation the new coach found himself in when the Football Federation were informed by the Sports Ministry that Sargossa would be playing in the Nakiti Robotics & Axx Software Opportunity Cup. Marín would have the full, albeit oh so grudging, support of the SuperLiga clubs but couldn’t count on the availability of players based outside the Archipelago.

Trawling the SuperLiga the coach was able to gather together a squad with some international experience, including current first choice centreback Christian Viera, much used national team sub Marcelo Cobían and rising star Diego Lara. And being drawn in Queer Poco el Mono Ara enabled him to add the locally based quartet of Segura, Batista, De la Vega and Balbo to the mix. The addition of uncapped wide men de León and Bravo gave a clue that Kietecs 5-3-2 system was to be dropped in favour of Marín’s preferred 4-3-3.

And the first fixture, against Liventia and played in Khaldoon’s Royal Stadium was every inch the performance of a José Marín side, strong going forward but susceptible at the back. Twice the Corsairs went in front, first when Cobían reacted first to a half cleared corner and the second when Batista tucked away de León’s beautifully timed cut-back, and twice they were pegged back. A trade mark twenty five yarder from Lara edged Sargossa back in front and this time they held on for fulltime, with a few scares along the way of course. The second match, against a poor Palmouth side about who it had been speculated that they wouldn’t even bother to turn up, was much more straight forward. They did turn up and goals from Batista and Bravo sent them crashing out. No matter how they came or who they were against the record books will show two wins out of two for the new boss.

Next up is the host nation Queer Poco el Mona Ara, a side hanging in their own tournament by their fingertips at the moment. The Corsairs boast a win and a draw from their two previous meetings and will be looking for something similar this time around. Looking around the tournament as a whole Sargossa are in the odd position of being the second highest ranked side in the draw and must therefore be considered a contender. Surely. Possibly? No question who the favourites are, The Golden Whites of The Second Empire are top seeds and looking ok with two fairly straightforward wins in their opening games while new boys Oberour Ar Moro are looking a decent outfit too. Could we go the whole way? Well, let’s just focus on the last eight for now.

[Grittonia]

Grittonia fights!

Today, it has been announced that Grittonia has one last chance to reach the next level.
A statement has been released by Peter Rofit:
''We need to fight and fight we shall. While we might not be a international known team, the Grittonian National Team shall a last stand and win! We shall make a name for ourselfs!''

Bookies have estimated the chance that Grittonia wins. 1:2,55 is the chance that the bookies have given and many bets have gone Grittonia's way.
Bookie Peters: ''Well, many patriotic Grittonians see the profit in betting on Grittonia. We will clearly win.''

[A-Stan and The Yoro]

((OOC: Will you be using new or old KPB ranks from now on?))

The MacMurdo Half-Sun
A&Y 'B' Squad takes it to United Gordonopia

Coming off a tough loss against Grittonia morale's were low. Players were unnecessarily beating them selves up for how they played. Sure they played horribly, but that's no reason to beat them selves up. Even the best lose a game or two.

Either way, kick-off was scheduled for 18:00. The first 10 minutes were pretty silent, the ball staying around mid field. Both teams couldn't move it forward even if they tried. The game was quite boring, then Brendan Tolk happened. In the 13th minute Antarctistan and The Yorozuya midfielder Barry Adams was making a break to receive a pass from Perryson. Thinking he could slide into the ball to intercept it, Tolk slid. However, he had miscalculated and instead he slid right into Adams. Then there was a period of tenseness, would the ref eject him or let him off with a yellow card. Even though it was only a minute it seemed like years before the ref made his decision. It would only be a booking, and Antarctistan and The Yoro would receive an indirect free kick. With the ball placed Adams reared up. Then he kicked the ball, at first it looked like it would be a pass to a teammate, but it wasn't the ball soared right into the goal. The circumstances were crazy, but finally this game had a score. A few minutes later Petkov would add to that total with a header off Adams lob. The rest of the first half was scoreless but nonetheless exiting. Both nations got some good opportunities to score, but neither of them were able to finish them off. The score at the half: 2-0.

The second half began quickly for Antarctistan and The Yorozuya. On their very first offensive possession defender Jake Stanton tackled Olbermann who was on a break, also earning Stanton a yellow card. Petkov (the teams designated penalty kicker) then scored his second goal of the match out smarting the keeper en route to scoring his second goal of the match. For the rest of the match A&Y would score two more goals on their way to beat United Gordonopia 5-0.

GOALSCORERS:

14' Adams
18' Petkov (Adams)
46' Petkov (Pen)
56' Adams (Olbermann)
78' Olbermann (Petkov)

BOOKINGS
13' Tolk (Y)
46' Stanton (Y)
56' Olbermann (Y)

Next Antarctistan will face un-ranked Oberour Ar Moro ((OOC: Correct me if I'm wrong)). While the team may be un-ranked they have beaten both United Gordonopia and Grittonia. Both of them by convincing margins. However those teams are all un-ranked as well, so the match is in A&Y's favor. However, any team can win it. Though Antarctistan and The Yorozuya will need to win this if they want to move past the group stage. Both teams are sharpening their swords. The battle draws near, who will go on from Group D. All of this will be decided, tonight in Unreal229. From now on its win or go home for Antarctistan and The Yorozuya.

[Unreal229]

Matchday 3

Group C
Queer Poco El Mono Ara 3-2 Sargossa
Palmouth 0-2 Liventia

Group D
Grittonia 3-1 United Gordonopia
Antarctistan and The Yorozuya 0-3 Oberour Ar Moro

Group C

Pos  Team                     P  W  D  L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
  1  Liventia                 3  2  0  1    7    4    3    6  Q
  2  Sargossa                 3  2  0  1    7    5    2    6  Q
  3  Queer Poco el Mono Ara   3  2  0  1    5    5   0    6
  4  Palmouth                 3  0  0  3    0    5   -5    0

Group D

Pos  Team                     P  W  D  L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
  1  Oberour Ar Moro          3  3  0  0    10    1    9    9  Q
  2  Grittonia                3  2  0  1    6    4    2    6  Q
  3  Antarctistan             3  1  0  2    6    6    0    3
  4  United Gordonopia        3  0  0  3    2   13   -11    0

QF2: Liventia v Grittonia

QF4: Sargossa v Oberour Ar Moro

[Queer Poco el Mono Ara]

And the final matchday results from groups A and B are as follows

Group A

Unreal229 2 - 3 Delaclava
Connar Republic 4 - 2 Docky

Group A Table

Code: Select all

 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Delaclava                  3   3   0   0    7    3    4    9 Q
   2  Connar Republic            3   1   1   1    6    5    1    4 Q
   3  Unreal229                  3   0   2   1    5    6   -1    2
   4  Docky                      3   0   0   3    4    8   -4    0

Group B

The Macabees 4 - 3 Logria
Jesselton 2 - 0 New Fenton

Group B Table

Code: Select all

 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  The Macabees               3   3   0   0    9    3    6    9 Q
   2  Jesselton                  3   2   0   1    6    2    4    6 Q
   3  Logria                     3   0   1   2    6   10   -4    1
   4  New Fenton                 3   0   1   2    2    8   -6    1

QF 1 Delaclava - Jesselton

QF3 The Macabees - Connar Republic

[Unreal229]

All remaining matches will be scorinated by Queer Poco El Mono Ara. Mainly because he needs the most hosting experience (which is what this cup is for). I'll still be in the background to help out should I be needed.

[The Macabees]

Quarterfinals Undefeated!

Given, the third match day was bumpy, nerve-wrecking and unclear. Given, the second string team did not give the performance many were looking forward to watch. But, none of this can deny the Golden-Whites their perfect three for three record so far this tournament. Their successes have made them one of the favorites in the tournament, and ceteris paribus they seem to be favorites to at least reach the final match. By finishing top of their group, the Golden-Whites earned themselves a quarterfinal match against Connar Republic, which finished in second place (with four points) after defeating Docky 4–2 on the final match day. Nevertheless, we should not automatically discount the strength presented by other teams in this tournament. Indeed, Delaclava ended the group stage with three victories, after defeating hosts Unreal after a dramatic match which ended 2–3. Just as well, Orberour Ar Moro graduated with three consecutive victories (and they manage to earn themselves the most interesting quarterfinal against the tournament, since they were seeded against Sargossa). In any case, if one were to give names, it is obvious that the three favorites remain Sargassa, Delaclava and the Second Empire. In regards to Delaclava, many are already expecting the tournament semi-final to be between Delaclava and the Second Empire, which would be a rematch of the final match of Delaclava’s pre-World Cup 48 tournament (the second semi-final would probably be between Liventia and Sargossa). But, the game looks favorably at the Second Empire and the Golden-Whites’ chances of graduating this tournament as victors.

As already alluded to, yesterday’s match was not very impressive. Although our boys managed to pull off a win, it was only after conceding three and scoring four. Yes, they had to outscore their opponent to win, as opposed to putting up a sensible defense. The defense was hardly even present. It seemed as if the defenders forgot how to run a four-man defense, as the two center backs left gaps in the lines as they rushed towards the same balls and what not. Some of the wing backs were too far ahead and not maintaining their own position in the defensive line, and it was not uncommon for many midfielders to stay ahead of their position, searching for their own glory. Indeed, scoring seemed like the more important objective of the match. Naturally, this allowed Logria to exploit a great deal of holes and ultimately score three goals. That said, it is no longer surprising to realize that Logria actually led the match for the majority of the ninety minutes. It was only late action by part of the Golden-Whites which managed to salvage the match. Yes, the “tournament favorites” barely managed to defeat a team that had fallen 4–1 to Jesselton just days before. But, the important part is that we won, right? The game cast serious doubts on the second-strings players ability to maintain cohesiveness if they were used as substitutes, and it taught Níal Ters a lesson never to rely on a replacement team. Apart from that, it also taught many serious and important lessons which Níal Ters and his players alike will take into consideration during all future games (hopefully).

The first half saw a lot of action, and most of the goals scored. Indeed, it began with the Second Empire in total control. As early as the second minute they received their first opportunity. Víeb Tahol offered a deep pass to the flank, occupied by Ses Dermán, who then centered in the area as Nether Falsó was rushing in. Falsó managed to control, but his kick saw the ball hit the right goalpost and then deflect itself to the feet of a Logrian defender. The Golden-Whites were quite persistent. In the eighth minute, Falsó was given another opportunity, but he hit the crossbar. Football was being unjust, even though the Golden-Whites had established complete control of the ball, just like most expected them to. Then disaster struck. Logria managed a goal in the eleventh minute, taking advantage of a massive gap in the defensive line. Macabee defender Nantes Fersas had migrated to the left flank, feeling threatened by one of the opposing wingers. A Logrian striker saw the opportunity, and was offered a deep pass. In two quick steps and then a shot, the striker overpowered Díendar Shost, who could do nothing to block the shot. It was a painful 0–1, and it was about to get worse. Four minutes later, on the fifteenth minute, Logria managed to score the 0–2. It came from a set-piece kick, which was not successfully cleared by the Macabee defense. The Logrians saw the ball in the middle of the area and did the logical thing: score. And so, in the first fifteen minutes of the match the Second Empire was already down 0–2.

Although things did not seem as if they were going to lighten up, Nether Falsó finally managed to score in the twenty-third minute. This was after a see-saw battle in the midfield, and some miracle work which avoided the 0–3. In a clear counterattack, Sergi Gut offered the ball to Víeb Tahol, who then gave a deep pass to Nether Falsó. Controlling the ball in such a way that it allowed the striker to breakaway from the two defenders around him, he was soon in a position where it was just him and the goalkeeper. Without hesitating, he shot around the goalkeeper and scored the 1–2, which alleviated the Second Empire’s situation to a minor margin. Unfortunately, the first half would not be their first half. Falsó had many more opportunities, as did other Imperial players, but they were incapable of equalizing. Some good goalkeeping by the Logrians also provided an important factor in their early lead. In the thirty-sixth minute, Logria went up 1–3 as they took advantage of another defensive error. By this time, it seemed as if the Second Empire had been destined to lose the match, as Falsó’s goal had ultimately done nothing to close the gap (as the gap had been recreated by this point). The first half ended 1–3, with dozens of opportunities presented to the Second Empire, but none used efficiently. Worse still, it was not obvious that the second half would be any different. Logria was in high form, and the Macabee defense was in shambles.

For much of the second half this was the case. Between the forty-sixth and seventieth minutes there were no goals scored, and in fact few opportunities created. A mixture of a tightening Macabee defense (by replacing Nantes Fersas with the even younger Agin Kal) and Logria’s decision to consolidate and defend their lead caused the opponents to not find the goal as much as they did the first half. The Golden-Whites seemed to have simply run out of steam, on their part. In the sixty-eighth minute, Nether Falsó was substituted with Shost Glen, and Georgi Rest with veteran Santi Vervánt. These changes proved to be crucial. A reinforced midfield and a hungry spearhead proved what was necessary to make an epic comeback. In the seventy-second minute, Víeb Tahol interchanged the ball with Rest, and the latter finally offered a deep pass to Glen behind enemy lines. Glen is not known for missing, and his accuracy paid off: he created the 2–3. It took just two minutes for Glen to score his second goal and manage the 3–3. This time, Tritor Maníac crossed the ball and found Glen’s head, which put it at the back of the net and equalized the game. Finally, in the eighty-sixth minutes the Golden-Whites finally turned the table and scored the 4–3. This was Ses Dermán’s goal, as picked up a cleared ball which was not cleared very far and powered it past the Logrian goalkeeper. He scored the winning goal, as none others would be made and the game ended 4–3 in favor of the Golden-Whites.

It was a painful game, and it obviously unclear that the Macabee squad would pull through for the first seventy minutes of the match. It was only one last push to struggle for three goals which provided the impetus to walk away from the pitch with three points, to make it nine out of nine points earned in the group stage. Despite the shoddy performance, many players proved themselves. Shost Glen remade his name, after scoring half of his side’s goals, and Víeb Tahol proved once again that he was one of the best midfielders on the team. Unfortunately for the latter, that does not necessarily mean he will regain his position as starter (taken by José Santos during the latter matches of World Cup 48). Most important, though, it seems as if Níal Ters has finally embedded a culture of winning into the squad. It was only motivation to win that made that miraculous comeback possible, and we hope to see more of that in the coming matches, during Díenstad Cup II and especially during World Cup 49. In any case, Níal Ters is becoming quite popular, and it really should be considered that he has not been targeted by as much hate as Glem Dalá (or even Tíer Bergán). Let us see if he can award his fans with an actual tournament cup, and prepare his team for the upcoming Díenstad Cup (which if he won would be a massive boost to his already large reputation for being an excellent manager).

Tomorrow night the Golden-Whites will play their quarterfinal match against the Connar Republic. The first-string team will be back, again, hoping to put the team through to the semi-finals (where everybody is expecting them to play Delaclava). Connar Republic’s success during the group stage was hit and miss. They drew their first match, against Unreal, 2–2. They then suffered a 0–1 defeat at the hands of Delaclava, only to make a comeback by defeating Docky 4–2, which earned them the second spot in the group (Unreal ended with two points, thanks to their 2–3 defeat by Delaclava). By comparing statistics, the Second Empire should come out on top, but we all know how deceitful statistics can be. May luck be on the Golden-Whites’ side, though!

[Oberour Ar Moro]

...The trainer's prognosis in the locker room was not good. Matthew [Brabantine]'s gimpy leg was enough to take him out for the second half. Hey, what did we need the guy who had scored the game's only goal so far for?

Titus Jeusset came over to me. "John." He said.

"Coach?" I responded.

"You know what this means, right?"

I did indeed. "I'm playing the second half for Matthew."

"That's right." He looked over his shoulder to Coach [Æthelhelm] Heusaff. "He wants us to sit on a 1-0 lead. I told him we shouldn't sit on leads. A 1-0 lead can turn into a 1-1 tie or a 2-1 loss awful quick."

Jeusett's philosophy in a nutshell, I guess. "So we're going out and attacking?"

He looked deep in my eyes. "You are. You're going out and attacking. I need you to key the offense. They know Maxentius [Hersart de la Villemarqué] is a threat and they've been keying off him all game. We haven't been able to shake [Rick Perryson, Antarctistan and The Yorozuya Defender and Captain] off him. They haven't seen anything out of you yet, so we can surprise them here."

I wasn't particularly thrilled...

...Not content with screaming bloody murder at referees and opposing players due to his poor play, Tobias [de la Valliere] proceeded to lose his head completely, and in the worst possible spot.

I had my back turned to it when I heard a gasp from the crowd, a angry outburst from nearly every player in orange, and a ref's whistle. I turned and it looked like Tobias had apparently tried to murder Dude Olbermann, and was standing over him yelling with the occasional point of a finger. The replay bore that out. It was a ugly, chippy shot on a player without the ball. Benvenuto Ar Merer ran over and was trying to pull him back. I got there and started pushing him away.

"What are you thinking? What just happened!?" We were both yelling at him, he was yelling at us, I had visions of the famed Antarctistan "Claw" coming as one mass to kill us all, and the referee swiftly ran over and showed him a more-than well-deserved Red Card.

Plus, for a penalty in the box, a penalty kick for Olbermann who was slowly getting up.

I was in his face. "You idiot! Look what you did!"

He was right back in my face. "Who do you think you're talking to Serclaes?!"

"An idiot, that's who!"

He wheeled around and marched back to the sideline, and instead of getting a earful from the coaches, continued on to the locker room...

..."We'll get the ball back in a tie! We can win this game!" Not sure what to do, I was going to all our remaining players on the pitch trying to get them ready to go again. The ref had shooed us away to let the penalty kick happen. Peregrine [Le Mercier d'Erm] was proving a cagey goalkeeper by wringing every second out of it to get some kind of advantage.

"They're favoring the side Maxentius and Brieuc [Mercœur] are on, we can use that to our advantage!" I yelled that at someone, I think I was randomly throwing out things Coach Jeusset had mentioned.

Peregrine cleaned his shoes.

"We need these points! You want to be a high seed? I do!"

Peregrine called the referee over and asked him to check the spot of the ball. The referee told him in very clear terms to stop messing about or he'd be carded.

"Get me the ball! Get me the ball and I can score for us!"

Peregrine set up, slightly off to the left to inspire Olbermann to aim his shot to the right.

Olbermann shot, it went right...

..and Peregrine defied the odds and got in front of it! Olbermann couldn't believe it, I couldn't believe it, I'm not sure anyone could...

..the pass from Maxentius crossed the field and I was just in bounds and right where I needed to be to get it. Antarctistan defender Dario tried to make a play for the ball, I managed to side-step him and starting heading to the goal.

I saw Maxentius streaking toward goal. I ignored it. [Barry Adams] made a play toward me, slow, slow, stutter-step, get past him, nearly in the clear. Senan Macanisius broke open, I ignored that as well. I wanted this goal. I kicked the ball, and it passed by Halifax Carter and into the net for my first goal. Like what you're seeing Uncle Palladius?...

...The third goal, and my second goal that came in the 80th minute wasn't nearly as dramatic. Being in the right place and right time on a corner kick to head the ball in would do it. The big picture: first place in the group, three straight wins, more goals for and the lowest number of goals allowed in the tournament thus far, and a match with highly-touted Sargossa in the quarterfinals. The big picture was exciting.

Opportunity Cup Schedule
WIN DRAW LOSS

MD01: Oberour Ar Moro - 5 United Gordonopia - 1
MD02: Grittonia - 0 Oberour Ar Moro - 2
MD03: Antarctistan and The Yorozuya - 0 Oberour Ar Moro - 3
QF04: Oberour Ar Moro v. Sargossa


Editors correction: In the first edition of this book John incorrectly identified Barry Adams, calling him Michael Petrov. This has been corrected in further editions.

Excerpted from Sweeper: The Inside Story of Oberour Ar Moro's First Football Team by John 't Serclaes.

[Sargossa]

The Island Chronicle




To The Loser, The Spoils


As atmospheres go the one at the Khaldoon Central Stadium was just a touch odder than usual. Queer Poco el Mona Ara, the host nation were in front by the odd goal in five as the seconds ticked away but the boos and jeers from the home fans were deafening as Sargossa’s Corsairs threw another attack forward in a vain effort to grab an equaliser at the death. Pedro Cortijo nearly did so, rising highest to connect with de León whipping in ball from the flank, but he could only plant his header wide of the post. And that was that. The hosts held on to win but it was an oh so hollow victory. Dependent on Palmouth to do them a favour, which in itself is a really bad sign, the Poconese did their part but the Palmouthians crashed 2 – 0 to Liventia in the other group game.

So Sargossa went through which should have been a greeted with celebrations of some kind. But it wasn’t. The fans weren’t overly impressed with their side. A side that came into this tournament as the second seeds and were, in the supporters eyes at least, expected to canter through the group stage. A nervy win over Liventia and a less than impressive victory over an awful Palmouth side was enough to advance despite the loss to Queer Poco el Mono Ara. All in all it was a bit of a struggle in Group C for Sargossa while the top seeded Macabees strolled though their group with barely a flicker and even Delaclava barely flinched in Group A.

“It was certainly the toughest group.” Sargossa coach José Marín tried unsuccessfully to convince a sceptical press conference. “All four teams had world cup experience and one of them had the benefit of home advantage so it was never going to be a stroll in the park. But we’re through to the quarter finals and that’s all that matters.”

And facing his Sargossan side in the last eight will be the unknowns of Oberour Ar Moro. Placed in a group full of also-rans the players of Oberour Ar Moro showed themselves to be a class apart, winning all three games in a crowd pleasing cavalier style that saw them rack up ten goals coupled with a solid defence that conceded just once. Their 3 – 0 demolition over an Antarctistani side expected to win the group but fairly shambolic once they got into action was a particular highlight. An unknown nation in imperious form against a Sargossan side struggling with a rare 'favourites' tag. There’s few who’d want to switch places with Marín right now.

Elsewhere the final round of matches saw Unreal229’s campaign end with defeat to Delaclava, meaning neither host nation has made it into the knockout phase. Delaclava’s reward is a quarter final tie with an up and coming Jesselton side. The Golden Whites of the Second Empire will march head long into the semis thanks to a quarter final that’s less tie and more bye, against Connor Republic while silent but sometimes deadly Liventia should have little problems disposing of Grittonia.

[Jesselton]

News deleted. No news is getting out of the Jesselton's border. Hail the new regime.

[Connar Republic]

Bobcats Dock Docky

can you believe it? our first major tournament and we've qualified for the play offs. A 4-2 massacre of Docky gave the Bobcats enough points to qualify for the second round of play. A two goal game by Alexi Dzubl and goals by Eric Lohn and Marks helped the Bobcats to the victory. the pitch was surprisngly waterlogged for the match but that did more to hinder Docky's goalie than it did to hurt the Bobcats. Gerrad Suaghennisy didn't do to poorly and once the game got to a 4-0 socre after the 76th minute he was pulled.

Next up is the best team in the tourniment, The Maccabees. it will be an uphill climb for the Bobcats, but hopefully it can be a good close victory.

[Queer Poco el Mono Ara]

Quarter Final Results

QF 1 Delaclava 1-1 Jesselton (1-1 AET) (Delaclava wins 3-0 on penalty kicks)

QF 2 Grittonia 1-4 Liventia

QF 3 The Macabees 3-1 Connar Republic

QF 4 Sargossa 1-1 Oberour Ar Moro (1-1 AET) (Sargossa wins 1-0 on penalty kicks)

Semi-Finals

Delaclava - Liventia

Sargossa - The Macabees

[The Macabees]

Most Difficult Semifinal Ever

3–1 was sufficient to earn the Golden-Whites easy passage to the semifinals. The comfortable win, however, does not prepare them for their new foe. Indeed, the Second Empire will now face the most difficult opponent in the tournament (on paper, at least). Yes, the Golden-Whites will have to try their luck against Sargossa, who are also looking to fight their way to the final match. The Second Empire’s squad, undefeated this tournament, remain favorites, but they face the prospect of strong opposition. Nevertheless, the odds still seem in their favor, especially as Sargossa only qualified for the semifinals after defeating Oberour Ar Moro 1–0 in penalties (after ending the match 1–1 after extra time). Níal Ters will be playing a full squad, putting his most talented players on the pitch, and playing his classic 3–5–2 formation which has brought him so much success since taking over the team during the final tournament of World Cup 47. Whatever happens tonight, it is clear that there will be quite the spectacle. This semifinal is worthy of a final match, and had the draw come up in a different way then perhaps these two teams would have met each other at that final game. Unfortunately, things did not turn out that way, and instead the two teams will meet each other to fight for that qualifying berth to continue their run to win this cup. There is much pressure on both teams to come up on top. We are hoping for fireworks, tonight.

The Golden-Whites earned their semifinal spot after defeating Connar Republic 3–1. Connar Republic was never thought to have much of a chance, especially since they only made it out of their group with four points (Delaclava, however, came out with all three wins). It was quite the exhibition for the Macabee team, given that they were up 3–0 before the 3–1 even came. Liventia also shined brightly, defeating Grittonia 1–4. Liventia is another serious contender for this tournament’s cup prize, as they have always been a fairly strong squad. Jesselton’s dream ended two nights ago when they failed to score a single penalty kick, after holding Delaclava 1–1. The latter went through to the semifinal by winning 3–0 on penalties. They will play Liventia for that final berth. As aforementioned, Sargossa made it through by defeating upstart Oberour Ar Moro 1–0 in the penalty kicks. The two obvious contestants for the final match are Liventia and the Second Empire. This is at least true if you were to base it off on performance during the semifinal. It must also be considered, though, that they arguably had the easiest opponents. Now, only the best of the best in this tournament are left, and the fans will surely have quite a spectacle to watch in the coming days. This especially true if all the teams play to the full extent of their abilities. So far, this has held to be true and the fans would be quite fortunate to see this fact go through.

The Empire’s match against Connar Republic began well. Darsí Bon and Mika d’Angíel were put in as spearheads. Bon had an opportunity before the second minute was complete, but a brilliant tackle in the area saw the ball swept up before him and cleared. Bon, again, had an opportunity in the fifth minute, but saw the ball go over the crossbar. D’Angíel had quite a few opportunities of his own, as well as other Macabee players. But, the first ten minutes remained absolutely goalless. In the eleventh minute, Darsí Bon put a brilliant pass through three defenders and into the area, but d’Angíel could not beat the goalkeeper to collect. It was becoming quite frustrating, especially as Connar Republic were doing very little to save themselves, and it seemed that the Second Empire should have already put themselves ahead. The 1–0 finally came in the sixteenth minute, thanks to Guy Lafos who received a cross from José Santos. Lafos brought the ball down before him and the goalkeeper with his right foot, and slipped the ball with his left towards the right goalpost, beating the goalkeeper. It was a very aesthetic goal, and Lafos’ first goal of the tournament. He celebrated it just like if it was his first goal (as he should), by touring the sidelines and pointing towards all the Imperial fans who flew the long way to see their team play in Queer Poco al Mono Ara. The excitement was not nearly done for them, either, and that was truly a treat.

The game continued as it had before the first goal was scored. It was like a constant bombardment. Like a fortress under siege. Connar Republic’s strategy banked on a very tight defense, mixed in with rapid counterattacks, but their counterattacks could hardly get off the ground before the Macabee midfield cut them off and began anew their offensive. Ball after the ball hit against human walls, and against the goalkeeper’s hands. Some hit the goalposts, other the crossbars and some hit nothing at all. Again, the second goal eluded the team and the future of the match remained unclear (a good counterattack could have reversed the game in favor of the Connar Republic, after all). The favorites would get their two point cushion in the thirty-sixth minute. Wingback Kel Kanis fired the ball into the midfield, where it was collected by José Santos. Santos managed a very good pass to Lafos, who then powered it to d’Angíel. The veteran striker fired it past the goalkeeper after dribbling it up a few meters, scoring the 2–0, showing why at age thirty he was still the team’s premier striker. The goal came at an opportune moment, and it proved to be psychologically damaging to the defending team. Connar’s defenses were shattered, and only two minutes later Jóan Zeneti, on the wing, provided d’Angíel with another awesome pass and d’Angíel again failed to miss, scoring the 3–0 before half-time and basically sealing the game in favor of the Golden Throne. This was the type of game that had gotten the team this far, and it had yet to fail them.

At the onset of the second half, d’Angíel was substituted by Shost Glen. Darsí Bon remained on the pitch as the second striker. However, the Golden-Whites took advantage of their three goal lead by consolidating and going on the defensive. As thought, Connar Republic was hesitant to take the initiative. There were some good Macabee drives, but without the proper force they all dissipated. In the fifty-sixth minute, Darsí Bon gave Glen a clear chance to make the 4–0, but the substitute striker hit the crossbar. That ball was collected by a defender, who fired it up the pitch in search of one of his own teammates. The strategy that had so many times failed offered an opportunity this time. An opposing striker caught a defender unaware, controlled the ball and slipped it behind Lars Kíendar, who had been taken completely by surprise. This brief moment of glory, in the sixty-second minute, managed the 3–1, but the glee was short lived. The threat was taken seriously, and the Macabee squad again worked to retake the initiative. Despite their efforts, though, no fourth goal came. The second half would end 3–1, with the Golden-Whites once again leaving the pitch as undeniable victors. Connar Republic had little to do, and their goal came more out of luck than out of any overarching skill. The Imperial players vindicated themselves once more, and provided a beautiful game of football which also provided them with tickets to the semifinals. Four games, four wins.

But, the time for games is over. Sargossa will be an entirely different fish to “take care of”. They are more skilled than any opponent met on the field yet, despite their poor fortune so far this tournament. It will take the best of the best performances to defeat them comfortably, or else the Golden-Whites are in for a painful experience (even a loss). Níal Ters will put a full strength squad on the ground, including probably both d’Angíel and Bon (once again), with five midfielders to give them blunt force up on top. The three defenders will have to do the usual job of guarding against opposing goals and providing the offense with the counterattacks. So far, it has worked well for Níal Ters. The team have had their share of defeats, but in general they’ve done well. Indeed, qualifying for the World Cup at the top of their group was no minor feat. And, neither was defeating the eighth top ranked team (at the time) of the world during the final tournament. They certainly have what it takes to pocket the tournament, but it will not come without a fair share of blood, sweat and tears. But, for the Golden-Whites this is business as usual. All fans should expect a very good game, and it is doubtful that it will reach penalties. Indeed, either the Second Empire will win in the first ninety minutes, or they will lose. Neither team will play to draw, that is for certain, and especially the Golden-Whites.

It is time to test if anybody has gone soft.

[Queer Poco el Mono Ara]

And the belated semi-final results.

Liventia 0-1 Delaclava

Sargossa 1-2 The Macabees

Sargossa will play Liventia in the 3ppo and The Macabees will take on Delaclava for the gold.

[Sargossa]

The Island Chronicle



High, Wide and Several Other Penalties


Hands up who expected a classic? Anyone? Wait, you at the back. No? I thought I saw your hand go . . . no? Ok. Well anyway highly fancied *chuckle/wheeze* Sargossa took on rank unknowns Oberour Ar Moro in the quarter final of the Nakiti Robotics & Axx Software Opportunity Cup, or NRASOC as we’re probably going to be calling it from now on, and were battled to a standstill by a highly talented bunch of footballers, who just also happen to be rank outsiders. Did we mention that? Lara opened the scoring early for the Corsairs, the first of what should have been a procession. But nooooo. Back came the boys from Oberour Ar Moro with a vengeance and Ojeda was forced into something of a goalkeeping workshop as the lead was just about preserved into the second half. Four minutes after the break Brieuc Mercœur showed a lot of heart, boom boom, and a coolness under pressure to side foot low past the Dunas Del Sol keeper for a fully deserved leveller.

Fulltime came and want as did the first half of extra time but still there was nothing separating the 35th ranked Sargossans from the side not even on the rankings chart. Unranked folks, did we mention that? Bravo dragged wide a gilt edged chance for a winner with three minutes of play left while Ojeda’s reflexes were tasted again with mere seconds left on the clock. But there would be no breakthrough. So that’ll be penalties then. Now you know those football blooper DVDs they bring out every Christmas? You know the ones, with the grainy black and white footage of that player missing that open goal forty years ago that you’ve seen a thousand times before. The DVDs that have the same old tat year after year plus maybe one new bit of footage someone managed to dredge up from the Nethertopian pub league. Well next year’s new bit of footage could well be this very penalty shootout. Ten players stepped up, five from either side but you probably know the drill already. Of those ten players one managed to find the net. One. Nine players did all they could to smack their efforts off the woodwork, the goalie’s backside, that fat kid in row G, everywhere but the wide, net covered space between the sticks. Thank whatever deity we largely ignore back in Sargossa for Diego Lara. He scored in normal time and his bullet of a penalty, the fourth for Sargossa and seventh overall, rocketed into the roof of the net to send a thoroughly uninspiring side through to the last four. Yay I guess.

Now the real result of that group loss to Queer Poco el Mono Ara has become painfully apparent. That loss, which knocked the Corsairs off the top of the group, means instead of someone bloody awful like Delaclava in the semi final we’re now up against the tournament’s top seeds and most consistent performers. It’s only the ruddy Second Empire of the Golden Throne. Now these boys can play. Not in the slightly condescending way we used when mentioning plucky upstarts Oberour Ar Moro. No, no. Genuinely good. The pundits out there but be looking forward to the prospect of the Sargossan front three pitting themselves against a Macabees back three or the upcoming midfield battles but those Sargossan fans that have actually seen the form of the respective sides are possibly hoping for a healthy slice of luck. The other guys sure won’t be trembling in their golden-white boots just yet.

[The Macabees]

Old Foes, New Tournament

We all remember that Phoenix Cup final match between Delaclava and the Second Empire. The two ended the standard game time 1–1, then when on to draw 2–2 by the end of the added extra time. It was Delaclava which came out of the penalty shootouts with the victory, though, after inching in the all important single penalty kick which was scored (penalty score of 1–0). Well, it is occurring all over again. The Golden-Whites defeated Sargossa in a close 1–2 match, while Delaclava came out on top of Liventia in a 0–1 hair-raising ninety minutes. And so, the Phoenix Cup final match happens all over again, but this time the Golden-Whites are looking for revenge. They have the golden opportunity to do it, and there is no doubt that they will do everything in their power to use it to their full advantage. Tomorrow’s final match will not be even near a friendly (this is a “friendly” tournament, after all), as both teams look to gain the edge, and both teams have a lot of face to lose if they do not lead on the scoreboard. Tens of thousands of fans will clutter the stands, hoping for a spectacle, as two very capable squads duke it out on the pitch. Will the Golden-Whites go into the Díenstad Cup with a tournament cup? Or, will they go into another major competition as losers? The answer should already be clear, but it is not. We will all have to wait for tomorrow night.

Believe it or not, Sargossa actually led the game at first. They caught the Macabee team by surprise, taking advantage of the fact that the Golden-Whites had arrayed themselves in forward positions to drive for an early goal. In the ninth minute, Gaston Bastita received a long pass from defender Óscar Leal. Bastita quickly ran passed the slow to respond Ladis Berk and scored the opening goal of the match. Sargossa had pulled off an impressive counterattack and surprised the fans by scoring the first goal. It was not something which was expected. A goal, from any of the two teams, was not expected to come so soon. For a long while it seemed like Sargossa had gotten lucky. Neither team was getting any good opportunities, while most of the individual battles were taking place in the midfield. The first half eventually ended 1–0, and the situation for the Imperial squad looked increasingly bleak. It seemed as if the team had lost out on another tournament, however “minor” it was. Poor passing was leading to poor scoring opportunities, and that was slowly leading to an overall loss. Neither Bon nor d’Angíel seemed to be able to gather the confidence or the drive to create opportunities to score. Even worse, the midfield had surrendered the initiative to Sargossa, who used it wisely. It was, indeed, a miracle that the scoreboard did not get less in favor of the Second Empire than it did by the end of the first half.

Fortunately, the second half was completely different. It opened up with a much more confident team, which immediately regained the initiative. Níal Ters must have said something really effective in the locker room, because the Golden-Whites came out like a completely new squad (and José Santos was substituted by Víeb Tahol, as Santos seemed to have injured his thigh when playing). Almost immediately, Lafos lobbed a ball into the area, and Bon found it and fired it away, hitting the goalpost. The frustration would mount for a few more minutes, but the Golden-Whites seemed intent on equalizing. The equalizer finally came, thanks to Víeb Tahol himself, who fired a long shot from just outside of the area. It beat the opposing keeper and hit the back of the net, achieving the 1–1. The Golden-Whites were not done yet, although the second goal would not come for quite some time. Nevertheless, they were like an all new, or at least very improved, team, and it was becoming clear that they were more likely to score the second goal in the long-run. As expected, the second goal came through the feet of the Macabee strikers. This time, it was the seventy-second minute when Mika d’Angíel received a ball which had filtered through two defenders and blasted it past the keeper. The defense was completely stunned at their discrepancy, and they paid the high price. The 1–2 was sufficient to win the Second Empire their semifinal, although the final ten minutes were not without pain. Regardless, the Golden-Whites used the second half to learn from their mistakes, bring themselves back and turn the table on Sargossa.

Many are hoping that the team will play like they did during the second half during the entirety of the match against Delaclava. Anything less could put them in trouble, as Delaclava is not a squad to leave anything to chance. They will take any opportunity to put themselves ahead, so the Golden-Whites should do the same.

Níal Ters backed his men up during the post-game press conference, “We played fine during the first half. We were taking the time to adjust to Sargossa’s form of play, and ultimately it paid off. Yes, we were behind for a long time, but we won two goals to one, did we not? I think it is high time for our fans to doubt us less, and believe in us more. The pressure put on the shoulders of the team has been one of the factors behind prior squads’ lackluster performance. Now that we have something good, we shouldn’t push it away.”

Of course, Ters is only that bold to say something like that because he knows that he holds favor with the fans. By ending the World Cup 48 qualification stage at the head of the group, and by winning one out of three games during the final tournament, Ters entered the stage as one of the premier managers in the history of the national team. The respect he has earned himself has gone a long way in protecting him from angry fans that may not take kindly to his rough words. Nevertheless, he is completely correct. It is time that the fans supported their team wholeheartedly, instead of criticizing them at every step. Beginning tomorrow in the game against Delaclava would be the best, as that is when the team will require the most support.

D’Angíel said a few words of his own, “We did not play, perhaps, as well as we could have, but we won the match. We are good at adapting and doing what is needed to win. There should be no doubt in our capabilities. We have the potential to win this tournament as top seeds, and we have the potential to win the Díenstad Cup, just like we have the potential to win the World Cup. It will all come in due time. I just hope that I see some glory in my time as a striker.” He was, of course, referring to the fact that he will be retiring from the national team by the end of Díenstad Cup II. This tournament is supposed to be the short-term high-tide for the Golden-Whites, looking to win a major international tournament.

For the time being, they will have to focus on doing their best tomorrow night against Delaclava.

[Queer Poco el Mono Ara]

3rd Place Play-Off Result

Liventia 1-2 Sargossa

Nakiti Robtics and Axx Software Opportunity Cup Final Result

Delaclava 1-5 The Macabees

Congratulations to The Macabees and commiserations to all those who fell short. Thank you all for your participation.

[Palmouth]

Very good tournament, you should bid for the World Cup.

[Delaclava]

Wow, 5-1. Perhaps my lack of RP had something to do with it (sorry about that).

In any case, congratulations to the Macabees on the championship, to me for second place, and Liventia for third. Thanks to Unreal229 and Queer Poco el Mono Ara for hosting!

[Sargossa]

In any case, congratulations to the Macabees on the championship, to me for second place, and Sargossa for third. Thanks to Unreal229 and Queer Poco el Mono Ara for hosting!

Fixed.

And well done QPeMA & Unreal. Good stuff!

[Delaclava]

In any case, congratulations to the Macabees on the championship, to me for second place, and Sargossa for third. Thanks to Unreal229 and Queer Poco el Mono Ara for hosting!

Fixed.

And well done QPeMA & Unreal. Good stuff!

Lolz, sorry about that. Well, congrats to Liventia on fourth, and congrats to SARGOSSA on third!