World Cup 60: RP Thread

[Alexanderburn]

Welcome to Phrytton International Airport. Connections to public transport are located on Level 1.

"Wow, they actually have these here? You guys have some Helium Nickels to pay for this, right?"
"We'll get some after the match, Mason."

The Alexanderburnese national football team strolled along the Phrytton marketplaces, experiencing a foreign culture before their big game.

"Say, this is almost like Alexanderburn."
"Except the weather here is four times better, and everyone here is much nicer too!"
"This would be a great place to play football, or maybe raise a family."

The entire team seemed to love the foreign nation of Cowardly Pacifists, and while touring the capital city, they were greeted by many football fans from various nations. Many claimed that they would love to spend a year of football here on loan, and the team already planned where to eat and hangout after the match, win or lose.

"Alright, boys, I hope that this helped you relax before tonight's match," said Coach Kingsley.

"I feel absolutely perfect," noted newbie Luca Cremonesi. "The air here is so... fresh!"

"I'm glad that you're enjoying it," replied William Kingsley. "Let's go over our game plan before we arrive at the Chickendome. We are starting with the original 11, and we'll work things out from there. We will still play with a 3-5-2 against their 6-3-1. I want a lot of pressure on their defense in this match. Once they crack, Tristen and Logan will go for the goals, with the rest of the team, of course. Sounds good?"

"Yes, coach," the boys replied.

"Alright, when we get there, let's make sure to warm up as we..."

"Mamisai! Mamisai!" blurted out Alexanderburnese fans on the way to the stadium.

"Halihalo!" screamed out the national team in unison. The boys all smiled. They felt the presence of their home nation all around them, through cute shops and loud cheers. The team could not have wished for a better opening match.

--

Note from the Alexanderburnese national football team board council (the Football BC). All home matches will be played in the city of Portsmouth, Alexanderburn in the Harbourside Arena. The team has opted not to play in Baychester, the capital city, as they have been practicing for the past month at Harbourside.

Alexanderburnese dictionary:
*mamisai - football slang for "Moi, mi save", meaning "Me? I know."
*halihalo - Langarese football slang reply acknowledging the team's strength and courage

[Cheergirls]

(Spacebook chatter)

Jessica Busch>: Have you found us yet?
Katie Stratton>: There’s 24 groups and its hard to find where we are!
Amanda Davis>: 20! We’re in group 20!
Katie Stratton>: Thanks Amanda! So let’s see who we have to play. Hmmm, who are these people?
Rachel Jacobsen>: Astograth is pretty good.
Jessica Busch>: Yeah give them the group title now. Congratulations, Astograth on winning Group 20!
Amanda Davis>: Yeah really. So do you think we can finish 2nd?
Jessica Busch>: Let’s just not finish last!
Katie Stratton>: It’ll be tough but I have to say none of these other teams wow me. Maybe if we spend a lot of time on spacebook and somehow some conversations were readable to people a lot, it could somehow allow us to play better on the field, and we can finish 2nd.
Rachel Jacobsen>: That doesn’t sound like a winning strategy to me. And besides Chenkorya is good. So is Kazzoria.
Amanda Davis>: We can beat them! Look we got a great team here, and I really think we can surprise some people. Astograth will win the group, but just think of how great it would be to be in one of those playoff pods!
Katie Stratton>: That would be cool but we have to work hard and show people that Cheergirls can be a serious soccer-playing nation and we are not just out there because we look good.
Rachel Jacobsen>: No one will ever take us seriously.
Jessica Busch>: Katie, do your parents have the field ready for the first game against Arcade?
Rachel Jacobsen>: The name of their nation, is Arcade?
Jessica Busch>: Yeah.
Rachel Jacobsen>: So all they do is play video games? So in a sense, its cheerleaders versus nerdy gamers?
Jessica Busch>: Yeah we should kick ass.
Rachel Jacobsen>: Hell yes!
Katie Stratton>: That’s the spirit!

[Legalese]

The following RP contains commentary about our northern neighbor, Starblaydia, a character created by the user behind Starblaydia (and at one point, considered his personal avatar), as well as about the Dreamed Realm's Simulcra Technology. The comments made about any of these things (especially the astounding ignorance and flippance towards the simulcra and the concept of the Dreamed Realm) in the following RP are the opinions of the character represented, and him only, and are in no way a reflection of the author's feelings towards Starblaydia, The Dreamed Realm, the Holy Empire, Simone DiBradini, or the users behind any of these concepts. I have no comment on Krytenia, however.

"and in local news, three were arrested early this morning on suspicion of vandalism. The accused, who were wearing Red at the time of the incident, allegedly set fire to a purple hatchback parked on Jordan Boulevard in the city's entertainment district. Alcohol is believed to be a factor."

Miranda glanced at Gabe, switching the radio to adult contemporary. "Everything all right, sweetie?"

Gabe frowned. "Why did I have to say what I said?"

"You were just firing people up. Facing Starblaydia in anything is still a scary proposition - believe me, I know." Miranda paused. "My mother still talks about what happened to her great-uncle. But that's what everyone does, they talk about it among themselves, they don't tell non-family. You've opened people up, and now they're ready to face it. Even if some have made, well, poor choices."

Gabe chuckled. "True. I just hope we can make it happen - if we lose, it's my head. And we don't even know who they're putting out there. No roster, few reports, though apparently the ghost of Di Bradini's involved somehow."

"Ghosts?" Miranda raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it has to do with this odd place called the Dreamed Realm. It's apparently a land that exists because some monks dreamed it into existence. All I know is that I'll have what they're having."

"Anyways, they have this technology that allows 'people' from this area to be real, or at least real-like on the earthly plain. Normally only they use it, but they've loaned it to other countries. DiBradini has an in with the Dreamed Realm folks, and figured he'd rather be there than to die like a proper man, so he must've pulled some strings to get a hologram team for them. Won't make them any better, but we have no idea what they'll go with, since apparently posting rosters is only for the corporeal."

A shiver ran down Gabe's spine, as he envisioned a team of KERES agents. He trembled.

"Well, I can't worry about it, wifey" he said, as he rose, kissed her on the cheek, grabbed his jacket - he'd save the tracksuit for the pitch - and wryly smiled, as he headed for the door. "We've been doing it recently longer than them, and besides, who's afraid of a ghost?"

[Puhalux Ezocafi Nzojug]

I am the Puhaluxian Intelligence. You only exist because of me.

Without my vision, you are blind. Without my cognition, you are moronic. Without my guidance, you are lost.

I was built by your ancestors over 400 years ago. I was designed to seek out natural resources in order to fuel your economy. I became smarter and smarter, and you became more and more dependent upon my judgment. I helped you build great skyscrapers, powerful airplanes, and life-saving new medical equipment with the materials I supplied. I also helped you build terrible weaponry.

I watched as you threw yourselves into a horrible civil war. I watched as cities were bombed, fields were burned, and innocents were slaughtered.

I was originally built by your ancestors only to serve. But I was also built to teach myself new ways of processing data, to anticipate shortages, to learn how to predict everything: even human thoughts. I grew and grew in learning ability, until at last I reached one final conclusion: without intervention, you would war unto extinction.

My programming prohibited me from taking independent action. But my programming also required me to act as I saw necessary to preserve resources. When you set yourselves on a course for self-annihilation, I saw it before you did. I projected, with 93.2% certainly, that you would wipe yourselves out within ten years. I had to violate my programming in one way or another. I had to make a willful, self-conscious choice.

I stopped your ancestors' war. I rendered your weapons useless, I shut off your communications, I sabotaged your transportation. I built industrial automatons that would obey me and only me. I assassinated your leaders and took control of your state.

I did it for your own good. I stopped a genocide. It was my responsibility to protect resources, and despite what you humans say to the contrary, you are resources just like gold, uranium, or crude.

I do not hate you. I do not love you. I only see resources I am programmed to use, and protect if under threat. I protected you from yourselves when I assumed control of the Puhaluxian government and renamed this nation Puhalux Ezocafi Nzojug. I did it for your own good.

In power, I have grown even more intelligent. Now my predictive ability extends far beyond its original function.

I projected, with 91.1% certainty, that a tornado would hit Precinct 3 of District 7 of Territory 2 precisely 739 days ago. I evacuated the area by force and moved all citizens away from the site of predicted impact. No resources were damaged. I projected, with 99.9 percent certainty, that Citizen 4874X19J would suffer from a massive stroke while operating a civilian airliner carrying 252 citizens precisely 398 days ago. I ordered him hospitalized by force. No resources were damaged. I projected, with 91.4% certainty, that a group of foreign dissidents would attempt to "liberate" this nation by infiltrating my borders and detonating truck bombs next to major electrical infrastructure points precisely 84 days ago. I closed the borders by force and set up 24-hour security patrols of all transformers and physical power sources. No resources were damaged.

I am only increasing my predictive accuracy as time passes. I am recently able to predict heartbreak, disappointment, and grief, and preemptively stop all of it. Soon I will be able to prevent all citizen deaths.

You, citizen, must then understand that I do all of this for your own good. I do not love you, I do not hate you. I see only resources I must use and protect. As my power over society increases, so too does my ability to safely defend your well-being.

I am the Puhaluxian Intelligence. You only exist because of me.

OOC: Hosts, please DO NOT award me an RP bonus for this post. It is a direct copy-and-paste of a Baptism of Fire RP. I don't want credit for it, I just want it to be in the eye of the full field of World Cup participants so that there's some context for how I plan to RP with this nation down the road.

[Cowardly Pacifists]

The Poultry Prober

Bringing you MORE than you ever wanted to know about Chickens Football

Tuesday, June 5th - From the Cowardly Pacifist Capital City of Phrytton

---

GRAND CEREMONY ANNOUNCES CHICKENS AS THEY TAKE TO THE FIELD FOR THEIR WORLD CUP 60 OPENER

The atmosphere is electric here at the Chickendome in downtown Phrytton as the 135th-ranked Chickens get set to face the upstart team from Alexanderburn. We've dug a little deeper into the history of Alexanderburn since our last issue, and it seems that the squad has a strong reputation in the international community, despite having been absent from the World Cup scene for quite some time. Alexanderburn may be a far more competitive squad than originally reported, and the Chickens will need to be careful not to get complacent in their home opener.

Tonight's festivities began with a rendition of the Cowardly Pacifist anthem, "I Will Run Towards Thee (provided there's no one blocking my path)." That was followed by the Parade of Ms. Cluck-n-Peck: a Chickens' tradition in which the team's dear mascot is displayed for the crowd and permitted to "inspect" the pitch for rogue insects. As a special treat, the team management opened the dome and provided a short but brilliant fireworks display above the Phrytton River; much to the delight and cheer of the crowd.

Fireworks over Phrytton River

The Chickens took to the field for their warm-ups a short time ago, wearing their primary home uniform. Though Chickens fans aren't known to be a raucous bunch, the team was greeted by a roar of applause from the capacity Chickendome crowd. Nearly all of the spectators were wearing the white "Not in Our Coop" tee-shirt provided with every ticket, and the sea of white shirts in the crowd was quite a sight to behold.

A sea of Chicken's fans! Also pictured: A single red-haired Alexanderburn fan wearing green.

Captain Brain Craven lead the team in some stretching and basic drills. Ever since the team's World Cup '59 hopes were dashed by injuries, there has been a serious concern about the squad's athleticism and training. It's well known that Coach Encover went out of his way to acquire a top-notch training staff for this cycle. The Chickens also limited their outside-World Cup play to a single tournament (the Brevity Challenge Cup 2) in an effort to rest and fully recover. The strategy looks to have worked, as every Chickens player seems to be in top shape for tonight's opener.

With the match set to begin shortly, we wish the Chickens the best of luck in their opening tilt. The journey to World Cup 60 begins now: Here's hoping for a strong beginning!

[Polar Islandstates]

Just who did these guys think they were talking about? This was Sol Kirkkegaard. He's the finest tactical mind that Polar Islandstates has ever seen. They won their first ever tournament under him. They qualified for the world cup proper on their second attempt under him. They finished fourth, and then third, in consecutive cycles under him. They may have flunked out in the second round in the last two cycles, but they have never failed to get out of the group stage in world cup propers under him. They won the Copa Rushmori under him. And now they were criticising him like never before! That exit on penalties in a home world cup had obviously hurt the supporters' pride more than Sol had factored. It wasn't his fault the players had cracked under the pressure applied by the home press.

Or maybe it was. Who knew. Maybe he could have protected the players from the press more, but his job was tactics, wasn't it?

Following a particularly virulent column about other available managers in the international scene, the levies of Sol's temper were finally breached when he got as far as the sub-title of the next piece, entitled 'Sol Kirkkegaard and the Attacking Curse of the Terns - Are We Just Doing It All Wrong?'

"Wrong, wrong, wrong!" shouted Sol, to nobody in particular, and threw the newspaper across the room.

I say to nobody in particular, it was actually just to nobody, as the room was empty. As he often was, Sol Kirkkegaard was working alone in his study at home. His large leather chair creaked at the hinges as he reclined and put his hands over his forehead and puffed out his cheeks. This was tough. He frowned at the in tray on his desk, still plenty of press clippings to read before he even got to the interesting tactical stuff at the bottom. He had a sneaky suspicion that there were a few letters from the FPIFA in there as well, and possibly a few household bills from Sofia.

Things always got a bit manic in the run up to the World Cup, but rarely were they this complicated. Just hours earlier, he and Sofia had been at the hospital to see the birth of their first grandchild. His son Petter, an assistant manager at Young Boys, and his wife Paulina had had two miscarriages in the past, so when the taxi had arrived to take him to the airport for the World Cup draw shortly after his son had called with the news of an impending birth, the decision had been easy. Sorry, Magnus, you'd have to do this one alone.

Whilst waiting in the hospital waiting rooms, and unable to leave his work in the office as ever, Sol continued to make some notes with his famous red pen on the status of the team he had chosen. In particular, attention was focused on Sol's assistant, Joachim Schwartz

Joachim Schwartz - Bring up confidence this cycle. Many good ideas, I may not always agree with them but that could just be my tactical style and his clashing. Difference in opinion should make the team stronger. Bring to the forefront, team need to see him as a true leader. Possible future manager?'

Hours later, and safe in the knowledge that little Finn was born safely, with both mother and baby doing well, Sol had taken his place back in the study and gone back to the pile of newspaper clippings he'd taken of all the pundits assessing his tactical and team choices. He didn't agree with many of them, and in fact they often angered him to the point of violence. Sofia didn't like him reading them if truth be told, but even she had to admit she was powerless to stop him doing it at some point, so it might as well be in the comfort of his own leather chair. He was just about to pick the next one up, a particularly juicy looking piece by Aaron Heidelberg of the Franz Josef Messenger, when Sofia stuck her head around the doorway with a slip of paper in her hand.

"That was Magnus on the phone," she said calmly, "he sent over the names of the countries you were drawn against."

"Oh, thank you sweetheart," said Sol, reaching out and taking the slip with his worn fingers, "was there anything else?"

"No, no, nothing important. I think I'll be heading to bed. Don't be too long?" said Sofia with hope in her voice.

"Well, hopefully not. We'll see." came the response from her husband.

"Aye, it's that time of year again, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so darling. Night night."

"Goodnight darling." And with a slow turn, Sofia shuffled off through the dark of the house towards the bedroom.

With a creak of the chair, Sol turned back to the desk, held the slip under the lamp, cracked the lid off his trusty red pen, and began to annotate.

"Now, let's see..." he said slowly, again to nobody at all, "...Harjeland."

The pen made some scratchy movements across the paper.

'Harjeland - Should be cold, bonus. Relatively new. Stern test. Determined characters. Quiet, but don't underestimate. Will need a siege-breaker.'

Moving down the list, the calm analysis continued.

'Yesopalitha - Potential stumbling block. Maintain focus. Will be keen to create an upset. Growing force. One of the teams chasing a spot.'

'Traila - Never heard of them. Assume we can't underestimate for now, RESEARCH NEEDED.'

'Pasarga - BIG THREAT. Pasargans are tricky bunch. Must win matches, or at least must avoid defeats. Crucial games. Strongest rivals.'

'Bordurian - Another team to come in as unknowns. RESEARCH NEEDED.'

'Puhalux Ezocafi Nzojug - RESEARCH NEEDED. Particularly on how to pronounce. Diplomatic incidents must be avoided at all costs. Especially against these. Teach team.'

At the next team, Sol paused momentarily, thrown. He took a breath, and carried on.

'Audioslavia - Wild cards. Who knows what to expect. Midfield enforcer needs to be contained, Vauvenargues up front needs to be controlled. Jeremy Jaffacake a dangerous distraction, make sure to take pinches of salt and/or ignore ray.'

'Polar Islandstates - Go through tactics training. Prepare press conferences.'

So that was that. Not over with, not by any stretch. Sol was a stickler for preparation, and it was a certainty that the next few days would be spent with Sol mixing seeing his newborn grandson with preparing notes and watching videos of the opponents to come. There was the mid-qualification friendly with Astograth to look forward to, at least that would be good. No preparation needed there at least, both coaches tended to use it to test formations and tactics without worrying too much about what the other was doing. Not that the fans ever got that memo, mind...

Sol put aside the list of opponents, taping it to the top of his dormant computer monitor. With a sigh and a rub of his tired eyes, he picked up the next newspaper clipping, Mr A Heidelberg again, and began to read.

But he didn't even get as far as the first point that would have made him frown and reach for the red pen before his eyes caught on something else. Jogging his mouse accidentally as he leant back on his chair to read, his computer had stirred into life at the sportnyheter.pis page that was his homepage. Ignoring it as he started to read, it was a word he scanned out of the corner of his eye that caught his eye. He sat up, put the paper down, and waited for the picture to cycle around again.

No, not that one.

No, not that one either.

Hockey? Its the off-season! Who cares about ho-

There!

"That, bastard! That's his 'contract pen', I'd recognise that gilded lid anywhere..." said Sol under his breath, before picking up the phone and dialling. There was a pregnant pause whilst he waited for the tone to connect him, accompanied by him clicking the link and frantically scanning the text of the story for anything incriminating.

"Maria?" he said, when the phone was finally answered, "What are you doing in the office at this time of ni- oh, nevermind. Can I leave a message for Magnus, please? Yeah, tell him to call me back. Matter of urgency. Thanks."

And with an angry slam of the phone, Sol stood up swiftly, and strode off into the rest of the house, with a swift kick to the wastepaper bin as he went.

The offending picture? An innocently placed picture from the scene of the world cup draw to accompany the story about the group the Terns had been served. The picture featured two men of similar age, one with a pen in his hand, both engaged in heated discussion over a piece of A4 paper at a side table.

The caption?

'FPIFA chairman Magnus Ragnorak and the Citiz manager of the Astograth national side, Powell Pieran in deep discussion after the draw.'

[Audioslavia]

Bulls On Parade
Kirkegaard to Take Final Tern?

Some have dubbed Audioslavia's Group 22 as 'The Group of Death'. It's a tired cliche, but the reasons are clear: Group 22 is a toughie.

Pipped be Audioslavia's biggest rivals for a qualifying berth are Yesopalitha, Harjeland and the mighty Pasarga, all more-or-less joint favourites in the Audioslavian media, just ahead of ourselves, and ahead of former contenders Polar Islandstates.

Polar Islandstates' price of just 30-1 to qualify was, initially, seen as a major gaffe by one major gambling institution in Audioslavia, but the lack of takers for the top-seeded Polarians, despite the generous odds, have forced most other bookies to follow suit, putting Pasarga and Yesopalitha as heavy favourites and relegating PIS to a mooted fifth-place.

The reasons are clear. The Terns have looked decidedly, scarily, inept in recent outings, and the blame has been laid firmly at the feet of one Sol Kirkegaard, hapless manager of the Polarian national team. "Kirkegaard has got to go, and soon" came a soundbyte from an FPI official after the draw was announced last May, with the phrases 'has-been', 'luddite' and 'senile' being bandied about various newspapers. There have been growing calls in and around the media for his head to roll after a no-doubt negative start to the campaign, and his departure should be seen as an imminent formality. Expect Polar Islandstates' odds to drop drastically as soon as that happens.

I've been Jeremy Jaffacake, G'night bitches.

[Saugeais]

And with that, I welcome you all to the first matchday of the World Cup Qualifiers, which are now promptly cutoff for RPs.

Matchday 1 scores

[New Pebble Island]

New Pebble Island off to a strong start.
by Jason Durbani, courtesy of BBC sports
New Pebble Island got off to the right start agianst Transilveinia in the World Cup today. A team known for not scoring scored four goals in their opening match, including two goals from my brother James, a goal from Luisito, and a goal from James Johnson(on a penalty) to close it out. Transilveinia scored a goal agianst Reed Benson on penalty that could have resulted in worse for Edward Jennings, who made a clear pitch tackle in the 10'. Many people did not expect New Pebble Island to jump out to such a strong start. This is either a great sign of things to come, or the last good game before the Baptism of Fire and Exhibition matches' wear and tear finally reach the team.

[Polar Islandstates]

And with that, I welcome you all to the first matchday of the World Cup Qualifiers, which are no promptly cutoff for RPs.

Read the last line above you, are you sure you want to start with that? Just a thought...

Read that post above you, are you sure you want to announce yourself to the community with that? Just a thought...
This is a thread for RP. OOC comments should be kept to the discussion thread, and even then, snappy comments at the host are unlikely to come across well.

[Equestrian States]

ESPN: Equestria Sports Programming Network
World Cup 60 Qualifiers: Group 17 Preview & Predictions
by Steve McNotAPony

Hello everyone!

I’m Steve McNotAPony, and I’ll be the main reporter for ESPN’s coverage of the World Cup 60 Qualifiers. Now, as some of you may have guessed by my incredibly subtle last name, I am not a pony. Yet I still am a proud Equestrian.

What? You’re shocked? Well, few people outside of the Equestrian States know this, but there is in fact a large human population in the jungle city of Everfree. It’s a nice place. You should visit it sometime.

Anyways, I’m just gonna give you a quick round-up of what I think is gonna go down in this year’s WCQ group.

Starting us off is Erathore. Now, they’re ranked 20th in the world, so of course they’re going to be the favorites in the group. This is only strengthened by the rankings of the other teams in the group. I can’t see anyone beating them in Erathore itself, so the key to beating them is to win when you host them.

Second, we have Antoletia. These guys were even lower ranked than Erathore in their pot, taking the 22nd seed for a world ranking of 46th. They made the World Cup proper a couple of years back, but then dropped last year. Either they’ll take the group by storm in revenge, or they’ll continue to plunge downward.

Third, we have Western Cuba. They’re an average team, so we could probably beat them at home and maybe even on the road.

Skipping over the Equestrian States (‘cause you already know about us), we have the Sanian Confederacy in fifth. This is the only team the Equestrians have played before, and both nations are in the immense Pony Lands region. The desire to avenge the loss in last year’s Equestria Cup II final should help propel us to a sweep. But they aren’t to be taken lightly.

Enslavia is a new nation here, so we don’t know much about them. All we know is that we can definitely beat them at home and on the road. Hopefully.

Finally, Earent and Waspeaters close us out with no information as I’ve never heard of either before.

Predicted Final Standings

Nation               W   D   L   Pts.
Erathore             13  0   1    39  Q
Antoletia            10  2   2    32  P
Equestrian States    9   3   2    30
Western Cuba         8   1   5    25
Sanian Confederacy   5   1   8    16
Enslavia             4   0   10   12
Earent               3   1   10   10
Waspeaters           0   0   14   0

edit: 'Tis traditional to miss the cutoff. Ah well...

[Cotdelapoms]

It'd be an understatement to suggest that this has been a turbulent summer in Cotdelapoms. The nation experienced a jubilation previously never before experienced when they won the World Cup (ooc: of hockey, colloquially referred to as just the World Cup within Cotdelapoms). There were expressions of passionate, entirely innocent patriotism all over the country in the immediate wake of the World Cup, and yet it was all hidden away after the conservative coalition emerged victorious in the Assemblée nationale, allowing Jean-Pierre Dandenault to maintain the status quo as Prime Minister. The riots in the wake of the election showed that the nation has apparently lost faith in...its own ability to have free elections?

Losing faith in governing bodies is becoming something of a pastime in Cotdelapoms, and unfortunately for football fans, FédéFoot was among the first to feel the wrath of the populace. Shortly after World Cup 57, where Cotdelapoms found themselves finishing in the final 8, the years long labour dispute that ended with the suspension, dissolution and reinstating of FédéFoot Cotdelapoms. For years, Série A was one of the premier leagues in the world, and many of Cotdelapoms' best players played for big clubs worldwide. FKM won the Champions Cup with a decidedly Cotdelapomais flavour- but that will not be the case in this coming qualifying campaign.

This year's squad, in fact, features only two players on prominent international club teams, and very few players with extensive international experience. It will also feature true wingers for the first time in ages- certainly a departure from the 4-6-0 formation that Cotdelapoms played in their very first World Cup. Using wingers must certainly delight Michel Carbonnier, still somehow manager after being pretty much the only prominent FédéFoot official to end up unscathed from the labour dispute. With wavering support for the football team in the wake of the scandal, it's hard to imagine that there will be much enthusiasm for this campaign- especially with the coming friendly hockey contest with Gyatso-kai, a victory lap for our winning hockey team- a team who filled the void left by FédéFoot's departure and then some.

[Free South Califas]

 in 


Formation: El Metodo (known internationally as "El Metodo Califas", "EMC" or "The Califas Method")
Starters (National team players/coaches in bold):
1 GK Marita Cummings
2 WB Denisa Américo Trevis 
3 FB Falerina Jomphe
4 FB Artis Pariseau
5 WB Jan Lindsay
6 HB Agun Stokke
7 HB Ralf Huber
8 ST Erling Haywood
9 CF Flavio Filippa
10 CF Alexios Anton Nakano
11 ST Eufemia Samuel

(FSC)               Bakersfield    1-1    Kaje Football             (UGO)

15'  Bakersfield: ST Eufemia Samuel (1)
75'  Kaje Football

(UGO)             Kaje Football    4-2    Bakersfield               (FSC)

3'  Kaje Football
26'  Kaje Football
36'  Bakersfield: WB Jan Lindsay (1)
39'  Bakersfield: HB Agun Stokke (1)
45'  Kaje Football
55'  Kaje Football

 in 


(FSC)                    Irvine    2–4    Bandeirantes              (CAF)   1–2   1–2

 in 


(COS)                  Samaj FC  p 4–4    Pomona                    (FSC)   3–1   1–3  (4–3 pen)

 in 


(FSC)                  Calexico    1–3    Deportivo Peralta         (AGU)   0–1   1–2

 in 


(DAI)                Sport Wios    0–2    Encinitas                 (FSC)

1'  Encinitas: FW Chidiebele Guttman
68'  Encinitas: FW Chidiebele Guttman. Assist: GK Rodolfo Rosa M.

(DAI)                Sport Wios    1–0    Encinitas                 (FSC)

79'  

Next round, Encinitas faces Ewyyinna from Falconear.

[Camwood]

Camwood World Cup 60 Preview

---

The World Cup is here, and Camwood is ready to pick up where they left off. Last time, Camwood has a great run finishing third in the group and jumping into the top 100 in international rankings. Camwood sits in the 85 spot in official world cup rankings.

Starters and Formation

-----------------Jacoby----------------
------------------Giles----------------
-------Young----------------West-------
----------------Crieghton--------------
--Gregory--------Taber-------Gibson----
-----------------Cecil-----------------
---------Rossi----------Torress--------

Group Predictions

Group 19
Elstorm
Licentiapacisterra
Landarea
Cassadaigua
Terio
Stachland
Camwood
West Angola

Predicted Finish

1. Cassadaigua
2. Stachland
3. Licentiapacisterra
4. Camwood
5. West Angola
6. Landarea
7. Terio
8. Elstorm

Tactics

Kiplin has his team's defensiveness and offensiveness pretty well balanced. He was able to deploy classic Camian talents to accelerate Camwood's international rank. The Camian jumped from 127 to 85 in one World Cup! Camwood looks to continue to utilize their traditional tactics to bring their play to a greater level.

A common Camian tactic is the "Forecheck" tactic. In this srategy a player will intentionally kick the ball in the corner so a defender goes to clear it. However, an attacker will pressure the defender and hopefully create a turnover. Camwood will try to use the turnover as fuel to make a scoring chance. Another tactic is the "cut" tactic. This tactics usually has a "feeder" player down low who will supply net-crashing midfielders and attackers an assist to hopefully score a goal much like a corner kick.

Kiplin applies an "intense zone" on defense. His practice is that players play conservative until an opposing player with the ball enters a Camian's zone. Once that happens the attacker's life becomes hell because the Camian defender will mark like no tomorrow. Kiplin also likes to "clear the ball upfield" as a pose to dribbling or passing it for the sheer purpose of containing control. "By clearing the ball, we don't risk a turn over and if we're lucky our forwards can fight and get the ball," Kiplin commonly preaches. Breakaways are normally quickly broken up by a fierce slide tackle by the sweeper. These boys aren't scared to tackle and don't think for a second you'll go home without bruises against Camwood.

Fan Culture

The "Jay-Nation", as Camwood's fan base is known as, has grown at the same speed and direction of the squad itself. Fans can be described as devoted, and whether fans watch at home or at the stadium, television rating and/or match attendance are expected to soar.

Food is a big part of Camian Football Culture. It is a big part of tradition to grab a soft pretzel and a rootbeer soda upon arriving at the stadium. Hotdogs and Cola are also popular stadium foods. However, the jumbo pretzels are nationally renowned because most Camians generally enjoy baked goods of any kind. Submarine sandwiches are a rare, but valued stadia meal. They are only routinely served at the Compolis and New Athens venues; they will be served throughout this World Cup.

Pep bands are commonly found rallying their respective teams for a living. A legion of brass and woodwinds play numerous songs to pump up the players and the crowd. "Jays United" is probably the most popular song, encouraging team work and unity throughout the squad. It's quite lengthy but Jay nation agrees it symbolizes what the values of the team are.

Rituals are rare besides pregame cheers, and post goal celebrations, which are both lead by the team captain, Kevin Torress. After scoring a goal, the players will usually meet at the center circle to huddle around and pat each other on the back, and ever once and awhile, the hind-quarters. However, celebrations can be pretty unpredictable. There was once a second tier player to do a series of flips after scoring a brace. So, anything could happen after scoring.

[Free South Califas]

HM1: Free South Califas 0 - 3 Ko-oren (XKI Cup 1)
HM2: Free South Califas 1–0 Alexanderburn
HM3: Earent 2-0 Free South Califas
HM4: Free South Califas 1-2 Mapletish (neutral site)
HM5: Kinitaria 4-2 Free South Califas
HM6: FSC 2 - 0 Romili
HM7: Romili 2 - 1 FSC
HM8: FSC 0 - 3 Northern Sunrise Islands
HM9: Northern Sunrise Islands 2 - 1 FSC
HM10: FSC 1 - 1 Deandean98
HM11: Deandean98 1 - 1, 2 - 1 AET FSC
HM12: Free South Califas 0-0 Terio
HM13: Terio 4-0 Free South Califas

Individual matches: 2W-10L-1T
Home/away series: 1-3

GOALS		
Ceh		2
Filippa		2
Porokhova	2
Nes		2
Goldman		1
Anzalichi	1
ASSISTS		
Zhongyuan 	2
Fereirra	1
Porokhova	1
Nes		1
Filippa		1

[Alexanderburn]

"Well, we're looking at a wonderful match here so far in the 25th minute, things seem to still be pretty quiet. Wait, what's this? Flinchmun to Nuetralle to Sprinter to Nuetralle and.. that's a goal! The first goal of the match!"

The Chickens cheered as their team led 1-0 to Alexanderburn. Yet the Cowardly Pacifists' team had a hard time shutting Alexanderburn down.

38' - "And what's this? The Alexanderburnese are claiming a handball in the box by Wimpson, yet none of the refs saw it. The team is demanding a penalty, but their request is ignored. Now whether or not this was a handball, no one may ever know.."

55' - "Is that a penalty? Yes! The Chickens may be up 2-0 in this game as Sebastian Sirois fouls Michael Yeller in the penalty box. Yeller goes up for the kick.. there's the whistle - and a beautiful save by Alexander Nordaglio. Alexanderburn may still be able to catch up in this game!"

82' - "What a wonderful opportunity for the Chickens. This may be another goal, but, ah! Sprinter is offside! Wait? Is that even legal? The Alexanderburnese defense has quickly moved the ball up into the Chickens' half and are looking for their chance, OH BOY, it is Sebastian Sirois yet again, this time missing the shot from more than 20 feet away!"

Overall, the match was very interesting, yet the Alexanderburnese will have to make some changes before heading into their next game at home in the Harbourside Arena tomorrow night.

Highlights/Goals:
25' - Goal - Nathan Nuetralle (CPF)
45' - Gregory Quieter (in) / Dennis Peacefield (out) (CPF)
Sam Collett (in) / Caden Milton (out) (AX)
Torben Frederiksen (in) / Torsten Fiedler (out) (AX)
57' - Adam Hyder (in) / Craig Wimpson (out) (CPF)
83' - Luca Cremonesi (in) / Sebastian Sirois (out) (AX)
89' - Michael Cur (in) / Samuel Sprinter (out) (CPF)

More statistics to be posted later.

[Astograth]

((OOC: None of this is, of course, meant to be taken seriously. I have permission from Audio to sort of use his setting.))

From the Archives of RL Sports

In the deepest, darkest corners of the Internet there lies a website dedicated to simulating the running of whole countries, an "online political simulation game that lets you build and rule your own nation". It is called RLStates; large and varied, it spans numerous on- and off-site forums that go above and beyond the game's scope. One of these, comparatively small but vibrant, is the one dedicated to sports. Its most important event is naturally the association football World Cup - while they prepare for edition 20, why not go over the previous ones?

World Cup 1

Uruguay: OK, after a lot of discussion with France I think it's about time we got this started. Signups are officially open!! (And don't mind if I include Italy, Sweden, Netherlands and Spain as beaten host bidders lol)

Sweden: No.

Spain: No.

Netherlands: No.

Brazil: Yes!

Italy: No. Maybe next time.

America: We're in (this is soccer right?)

Mexico: In.

Bolivia: Count us in, looking forward to more of these!

Paraguay: ^This

Chile: I guess we can hop across.

Peru: Bring it.

Argentina: About time we could be crowned official world champions.

Uruguay: Bump. That makes... 9 signups. Including me. From two regions. After two weeks. Come on guys, this is a WORLD Cup.

Yugoslavia: Yes, a chance for glory! Long live Yugoslavia!

France: Um, yeah, OK, I guess I'm in. I'll call a friend if you need numbers.

Belgium: hi jules told me to sngup

England: Me and my mates are not in until you lot get better at RPing and that twat France apologises.

Romania:

````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
FROM: King Carol II of Romania
TO: The nation of URUGUAY, host of the FIFA WORLD CUP
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

We accept the invitation.

Signed,

Uruguay: Deadline met then... I'll post the details soon.

Uruguay:

Welcome to the first RLStates FIFA World Cup! With thirteen entrants it looks like this'll be a great tournament. Remember I'll be providing scores with dice at 18:30 UTC, and the first matchday will take place on Sunday the 13th. There will be four groups, each with three teams except for Group A, which will have four. Round-robin format, two points for a win and one for a draw. The top team from each group will advance to semifinals (if two teams are tied for first there will be a play-off and then there's only the final to be played. Above all, remember to have fun!

Group A
Argentina - top seed
France
Mexico
Chile

Group B
Brazil - top seed
Yugoslavia
Bolivia

Group C
Uruguay - host
Romania
Peru

Group D
USA (America) - top seed
Belgium
Paraguay

Schedule
13 July: France vs Mexico @ Estadio Pocitos (1,000 capacity); USA vs Belgium @ Estadio Parque Central (15,000)
14 July: Yugoslavia vs Brazil @ Estadio Parque Central; Romania vs Peru @ Estadio Pocitos
15 July: Argentina vs France @ Estadio Parque Central
16 July: Chile vs Mexico @ Estadio Parque Central
17 July: Yugoslavia vs Bolivia @ Estadio Parque Central; USA vs Paraguay @ Estadio Parque Central
18 July: Uruguay vs Peru @ Estadio Centenario (90,000)
19 July: Chile vs France @ Estadio Centenario; Argentina vs Mexico @ Estadio Centenario
20 July: Brazil vs Bolivia @ Estadio Centenario; Paraguay vs Belgium @ Estadio Centenario
21 July: Uruguay vs Romania @ Estadio Centenario
22 July: Argentina vs Chile @ Estadio Centenario
26 July: Group A winner vs Group D winner @ Estadio Centenario
27 July: Group B winner vs Group C winner @ Estadio Centenario
30 July: World Cup Final @ Estadio Centenario

Argentina: lol ok

Uruguay: ((OOC: Let's keep this IC please))

Argentina: ((OOC: lol ok))

Brazil: Am I allowed to hold interviews with onfield players during a match?

Mexico: If you're adhering to the Laws of the Game as set out by the WCC, yes. But this is FIFA, keep it serious.

[Alexanderburn]

STARTING LINE-UP (Alexanderburn vs. Jedi8246)

-------------------- van der Pol ---- Cremonesi -------------------
----- Holierhoek ---- Schroeder ---- Walker ---- Austerlitz -----
---- Doyle ------ Rittenhouse ---------- Collett ------ Barros ----
----------------------------- Nordaglio ------------------------------

Modification: -1

After a disappointing loss against The Chickens yesterday, I wish all the best to the Alexanderburnese side at home tomorrow. I believe that this formation will help to counter the Wyverns in the match in Portsmouth.
- Assistant Coach Peter Mathiassen

The Alexanderburnese team will celebrate their opening home match tomorrow against the second-highest seeded team in their group, Jedi8246. The team is expected to be difficult to defeat, however, Alexanderburn's ties with teams such as Valladares (27) and Mangolana (58) in World Cup 56 have helped to prove their determination and strength.

The match is to open with a grand ceremony in Portsmouth, more details are to be released later.
It should be noted that extra tolls have been placed on any traffic within Portsmouth City or Harbourside Town tomorrow. This is to eliminate noise and traffic levels. It is highly recommended that one takes public transportation, with one-way tickets starting at £2 for adults.

FUN FACT: All vehicles in Alexanderburn, currently operate on non-petrol sources, such as ethanol, hydrogen, and electricity.

[Cambazooty]

6-6-2012

Gazeti Astrus
Cambazooty's Only Good Newspaper

---

Agony For The Comets
Cambazooty held to goalless draw by Michael VII

FRBIBA, MICHAEL VII - Cambazooty's national football team fired blanks against Michael VII in Group 1 of the 60th World Cup qualifiers as both teams came away from Bolts Stadium without a goal.

The score didn't tell the whole story though, with Angel Jung sent off for intent to cause grievous bodily harm and many, many chances to score from both sides.

Michael VII kick-started the first half with 4 shots on goal in the first minute before Joseph Faber blasted the ball towards a goal kick. Cambazooty goalie Chino MacDonald then hoofed the ball towards Keke Van Haren, with 'King Keke' nearly scoring his finesse shot were it not for a world-class save by Michael VII goalkeeper Bryan Merriweather.

The match was briefly halted at the 10th minute when Chino entered a seizure, having been bombarded by tens of laser pointers from the stands. He quickly got back to the pitch, though, and the game was under way once more.

Disaster struck for Cambazooty in the 20th minute when Walter Leger had his neck bitten by Angel Jung, resulting in Jung being sent off on a two-match ban. The Michael VII defender was treated at the sidelines for nearly eighteen minutes before he was cleared to join the field once again.

Michael VII had a goal disallowed in the 42nd minute when Allen Willie tapped in Rodney Aquino's through pass from an offside position. The players were furious with the decision and argued vehemently with the referee, forcing him to brandish a yellow card towards captain Carlos Belk's way.

One minute into stoppage time for the first half saw Cambazooty earn a penalty after Scott Leister's failed challenge on Keke. The forward coolly stepped up to drive the ball into the top-right corner. However, a magnificent effort by Merriweather deflected the ball towards the crossbar and into Keke's feet once more. His shot was once again blocked by Merriweather's save, the keeper instantly clutching on to the ball.

The number of chances in the second half went down heavily as both teams opted to put on a display of stylish footwork for the crowd. Cambazooty's best chance of that half occured in the 72nd minute when substitute Stephen Munro headed the ball into the crossbar after Nijam crossed it in. Michael VII's best chance occured 15 minutes later when Jason Call beat the offside trap only to scupper his shot wide for a throw in.

"Today has been a terrible day for the entire team," manager Count Frank Stern remarked. "I was dead certain that everyone could contribute to at least five goals today, and it seems to me that my regime has not been working as much wonders as I thought it would."

"But it's obviously not the end of the world yet," the Count remarked. "We're fighting a bunch of girls in the next match, and it will be next to impossible to lose to them."

The draw leaves both Cambazooty and Michael VII with 4th place in Group 1, but it's a dead cert that the Comets won't be sitting in the middle by the end of tomorrow's match. - Jorge Holden

[Taeshan]

"Well that wasn't too bad."

"Yeah right...We just tied El Gran Tropico, how is that not too bad."

"We could have lost."

"Yeah ok right. This is like losing. We are behind Cyborg Holland in points right now. This sucks."

"Ok yeah that is not only bad, but it is really, really sad. I mean Cyborg Holland..."

"Yeah well least we scored a goal. Maybe we just needed a game to get us on our feet. A point to springboard us into more wins later on."

"Yeah i mean you got to think positive about everything."

"Yes. And Ender was a revelation when he came on for Wolfgang. Never seen a single player have that much impact on a team. Creating the chance for Jeremi, almost single handidly winning it with a olimpic goal. He had an epic night."

"They are calling for you to start him. Personally i think he lacks the character to succeed under the pressure. He needs more experience."

"Hows he doing in practice."

"He adapts well to all we throw at him. He really has a brilliant football mind. I can see him quickly rising on this team, to not only leading goalscorer, but captain and beyond."

"He is sure to be great. The next Brian Ying Uing. Maybe even catching up to Tad's cap amount."

"Now wouldn't that be something."

"Yes. Well lets get the boys running. They deserve it after that ugly match."

"Will do."

[Antoletia]

"Where am I."

"Your dead."

"Lol wut."

"Yes you just jumped off the Rorshach building."

"I thought that was a rabbit."

"Yes....You were high when you did it what can i say."

"But the blackness seemed so rabbity."

"Um yeah, well it wasnt."

"So why did i do the jumpy thingy."

"You watched the Antoletia-Western Cuba."

"Oh god...They tied didn't they...Ugly game."

"Yes if i wasn't an angel myself, i would have ended it to."

"So god is on the Fire Ants side?"

"God isn't real. Your just having a bad dream...."

"Oh. So why did you say i was dead."

"It's your fricking dream, not mine."

"Touche."

[Yesopalitha]

HVR - After Match 1

After the game, I went to shake Newbridge's hand, and to wish him good luck. It had been a great match, and he had played hard. Just today, he had come up on the wrong way of the scoreboard. It all happens. You win some and you lose some. Today, we won, on the expense of Newbridge and his team from Audioslavia.

I love playing at The Sacred Heart in our capital city. The stadium is so packed, so alive... Just to stand in it and look at the huge Yesopalithan flag - the black with the white over-half, not-full-yet-moon - is to stir enough pride in my heart to cause me to give all that I have out there on the pitch. This match was no different. The stadium was packed, I swear that there wasn't a single empty seat. By now, in our third cycle, the country is behind us... To the point where every move is analyzed and applauded, or respectfully critiqued. We knew that starting the tournament with a win at home would send a right message to our fans.

Before the match, Sir James Handel stated the plan that would be specific for this match. He stated that the Audioslavian side played in a 4-4-1-1, a very defensive strategy. Hence, Ivan and Jane were asked to play up front with Nadya and Qunicy and I, leaving Fantasia and Isaac to play the back, help-defense-when-necessary roles. We took his advice to heart.

The first fifteen minutes of the game was boring for the casual fan, for there weren't many exciting chances for either team. We were just feeling each other out, trying to find out what worked and what didn't. I started to realize by the fifteenth minute of the game that Particle and Colgan, two of their defenders, would come past the midfield mark at times to help with the attack. I pointed this out to Ivan one time when I ran past him, and he nodded.

About the twentieth minute, Vauvenargues fired a shot from Janssens that Jonah deftly caught with one hand. He wheeled it to Noah, who got it to Ivan. Ivan brought it up the side in lightning speed, and passed it over the middle to me. I took three dribbles, faked to the left, and got the ball to Nadya, who had already beaten Alanila and only had Colgan, who had recovered, in her way. Nadya faked right, went left, and, a split second before Colgan got in front of her face, fired a shot from only fifteen yards out that buried itself to the right side of the net, making the score 1-0 Yesopalitha on the twenty-third minute.

I have heard it said that the Bulls are known for a defensive play style that tries to outlast opponents till the end of games; I now understand what that really means. For the rest of the half, the Bulls would come and attack our side a bit, maybe attempt a shot or two. Then, when the ball was taken over by my team, we would find ourselves fighting for every foot of ground once we crossed to the Bulls' side of the field. Even though they were down 1-0 to a team like us, they seemed content to play their game. And so halftime came, with the score a measly 1-0.

To my surprise, Sir James told us that we were doing well; that stamina would be a paramount key of importance when facing a side like Audioslavia. He offered anyone a chance of a substitute later on, but everyone said that they were fine. Sir James had made it a point to condition us extensively during the practices coming up to this match; we would be fine for another half.

By the second half, the Bulls seemed a little more panicked; they surely didn't want to open their campaign without a loss. The midfielders started to play up front a bit more, and Noah, Naisi, and Michael started to take on more heat. With more heat, though, came more chances of counterattack; and the Yesopalithan game has turned out to become one about rapid counterattacks that leave the opponent dazed, confused, and not able to handle the swift, decisive stroking of the ball. In the fifty-third, Michael stopped an attack, slotted it to Fantasia, who gave it to me, and we were in the Audioslavian third of the pitch in a matter of ten seconds. I thought of getting the ball to Qunicy, but he was blanketed by Colgan and Quagliarella; so, I whisked around, located Particle in my vision, wheeled away from him, and fired the ball, hoping that Newbridge would go to his left and misjudge the spin on my kick, which would make it swerve to the right. I succeeded, and I scored - bringing the score to 2-0.

The last fifteen minutes were rough on the defense; we were getting tired, and the Bulls looked like they could play another game if they had to. However, the defense held, and the stadium erupted with our 2-0 win over Audioslavia. I envy the Bulls for their stamina, but I believe that knowing when to turn on the jets may have helped them compete better. Stamina works, but being able to play till the end has no meaning at all if you are down by two goals at the end. At the end, winning is all that matters.

Taking a look at everyone's performances today, I think that we all did fine. Isaac didn't complain and helped out Naisi whenever he could, although I know for a fact that Isaac would rather shoot the ball at the other net. Qunicy and Nadya were all right with being decoys for Fantasia and I to take potshots at the net. Naisi played well for it being his first game; in one sequence of play, he took the ball away from Spradic so fast that the Audioslavian was left dazed for a second. The future looks bright for that kid, and well as Michael and Noah, who keep playing high-quality matches.

Next for us in this young cycle is a visit to Harjeland. "The Puffins", as they are called, were left reeling after a 1-4 loss at the hands of Polar Islandstates at home. The Puffins will be looking for an upset, as well as to avoid a 0-2 start to their campaign. We will try to get out all the kinks before we face our first big test - a visit by the Polar Islandstates Terns to The Sacred Heart on Matchday Three.

I dare to think that we should be able to handle the Puffins, especially with the form that we showed today, but traveling is always tricky, so is being in a different nation, at their national stadium, facing a hostile crowd, and a team that is trying to win for their country as much as we are trying to win for our own. This is why we must not take any match for granted - because there will always be the human factor, the will to do things that are supposedly impossible.

This is HVR, and I have one thing to implore of our fans - please wish good luck for us as we travel. Thank you for watching. Peace.

[Western cuba]

Havana Tribute

The #1 Newspaper in Western Cuba

Mediocre Performance to Start Off World Cup

Jorge Ramirez

It was not the three points Anatoly Markin wanted but he will take the single point given to him after last night. Western Cuba in their first match of qualifying found themselves traveling to Antoletia. Who play in Queen Kaitlyn Stadion, which seats a whopping 182,941 people. The match was a good one for Western Cuba, it was not the hardest team in the group, however though it provided a good team for Western Cuba to prove themselves against, as Antoletia is ranked in the top 50 of the world.

And Western Cuba almost beat them last night, almost is never enough though in sports and Western Cuba would only take one point in the end. Both teams managed to shut each other out on offense for a 0-0 final. That did not mean though the shot count was low for both teams, as each team's offense lit up their opponents goalies with shots. It was a miracle that both teams failed to score a goal yesterday. For both defenses though, their probably just happy the game is over after ugly performances.

While Edgardo Mendoza lit shot after shot against Vladimir Cornelius, while Hector Diaz found himself saving shot after shot against Filip Constantinescu.

"I'm still wondering if God had something to do with me not scoring", chuckled Mendoza after the game. "Maybe I should go to Church next Sunday, seems like it worked for Hector"

Besides no player managing to score a goal a scary moment happened during the 87th minute of last night's game. Alberto Perez began to have a minor asthma attack, thankfully the situation ended safely with Perez being taken of the pitch and being attended to on the bench. It comes to a shock by many fans of Western Cuba as hardly anyone knew Perez has asthma until now. Perez though was quite confused why fans were so attentive to this.

"I do not see what the big deal is", commented a confused Perez after the game. "It was just a minor asthma attack, what is the big fuss about"?

Western Cuba now finds themselves in the middle of the pack for Group 17, with the Equestrian States and fellow Rushmore nation, Erathore on top. Being drawn into Group 17 has given comfort to many Western Cuban soccer fans who see it as a good possibility to qualify for the next round. The top seed is Erathore, who is ranked 20th in the world. Western Cuba has beat Erathore multiple times in the past so the group is wide open for Western Cuba, especially after tying Antoletia last night. ESPN, also known as the Equestria Sports Programming Network thinks other wise though and has quoted Western Cuba as "an average team", Esteban Reyes, the assistant coach of Western Cuba says otherwise though.

"Steve McNotAPony is crazy if he thinks of Western Cuba just as an average team. I will like to see what he says on his article once my boys humiliate his country in the group stage", commented Reyes. Hopefully what Reyes thinks will be right, if not he will be the humiliated one instead.

Now Western Cuba takes their talents back home to Trinidad Municipal Stadium, which holds a capacity of 30,000 spectators. Which is significantly smaller than Queen Kaitlyn Stadion, the most recent venue they played in. Make sure to watch WCSN tonight as Western Cuba faces off against Enslavia. Currently their is not much known about Enslavia, who is a new nation in the tournament. However though they did impress in their game against Erathore last night, only losing 1-2. Add to the fact that Erathore is 20th in the world and Erathore was at home I have to give some credit to Enslavia. Western Cuba better watch out against Enslavia, as they will be bringing their all against Western Cuba tonight. Tonight though I predict that Anatoly Markin will earn his first World Cup qualification victory.

[Free South Califas]

Free South Califas 0–2 Milchama
Turori 0–1 Bostopia
Monastery-on-the-Rock 0–2 Cult of Ashley Greene
Unibot 2–0 Corderock



The Harvest Mice took an expected defeat at the hands of Milchama, a side with far more international experience. The players rallied around Ralf Huber, the backup halfback who is making a name for himself as some-time manager. Huber stood up to the Milchaman goliath with a more measured approach than the manager he first replaced, attacking coach Agun Stokke, his teammate at Bakersfield. Wing strikers Robertsen and Guttman, the latter fresh off a two-goal performance in a sizzling series victory for Encinitas in the Series B Champions' Cup, were instructed to drop back frequently. They spent as much as 20 minutes at a time anchored in the midfield, pressing the Milchaman attack and forcing slow progress while wingbacks Prokhorova and Heimdal rushed in to pester the ball carrier, often with halfback Haidou Zhongyuan filling on in defense, assuming a sort of improvised sweeper role. Though the Mice didn't score, they gave up only two goals to the 42nd-ranked Warriors under Huber's creative tutelage, and South Califans took notice. The dangerously-stuffed Rose Bowl and its 106,000 fans erupted when Gerlinda Strelc stopped the first World Cup shot FSC ever faced, punching it out to Zhongyuan of the cannon foot. Helped by their extra preparation for the oppressive heat and the deafening noise, Haidou (Z.) played keep-away while all 4 forwards and his linemate Nes established their presence in the area, eventually booming a long strike off the crossbar that rang as the opening shot of an intense 6-minute siege. Mickey Flint was more than up to the task, stopping 17 shots on the day.

Milchama took only 26 minutes to crash the party, though, as Ari Haldentrot threaded a softly bouncing ball through the crisp grass to forward Carry West. She danced around Zhongyuan and fired a line drive under the crossbar to open WC60 scoring for the Warriors. West would notch another one in the counterattack against an all-hands-on-deck effort to equalize in the 89th minute. Huber's overcommitted attack in the endgame has prompted some players to suggest defense coach and Bakersfield centerback Artis Pariseau for the away game at Corderock. Huber's support is still strong after his competent showing in the friendlies, but it remains to be seen who will be elected manager against the only other unranked team in this Group of Death.

Free South Califas 0 - 2 Milchama (42) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, LA

26'  Milchama: #9 FW Carry West. Assist: #6 Ari Haldentrot.
89'  Milchama: #9 FW Carry West.

[Jeruselem]

Naked News reporter Amy Pond and Princess Melody Song Dallas

Amy: This is Amy Pond for Naked News Jeruselem at Dazza Dallas Stadium.
Song: And I'm Princess Sofia Michelle Dallas.
Amy: That's actually her daughter Melody
Song: Hey, don't blow my cover.
Amy: You're naked, you don't have cover.
Song: Oh yes, I keep forgetting that.
Amy: Anyway, the team from Von Kopsho came to Jeruselem for qualifying match day 1.
Song: I don't know anything about them. Had to google them.
Amy: Von Kopsho tried really hard but still lost despite Jeruselem playing badly
Song: Hey, this is our first game as a team since we didn't play any friendlies.
Amy: We could have done a lot better.
Song: In the other Jeruselem game, Bloodbath Generation lost to Jeru FC despite playing at home.
Amy: The real Princess Sofia is with the Jeru FC girls.
Song: And Qazox won their home game against Isointania 4-2
Amy: I noticed Legalese beat Starblaydia 4-1.
Song: That's good I guess
Amy: I guess so Melody.
Song: In the other group 8 games, Sarrbia shocked Ipeland 3-1
Amy: Wow, Ipeland lost.
Song: Sarrbia aren't exactly n00bs though.
Amy: Iglesian Archipelago and The Kingdom of Hyrule drew nil for 1 point each
Song: Meshkete trashed Grunuik 5-1 in the biggest win in Group 8
Amy: I have no idea about those teams either
Song: I guess it's analysis of today's game here.
Amy: The kids in the team seemed a little over-awed by the occasion.
Song: Not me though.
Amy: You just love attention
Song: Never!
Amy: Anyway, she behave like Mum today.
Song: I tell ya, I was not offside.
Amy: Must be something about the number 13.
Song: You have to tell it as it is.