Mulawil Halab 86 || RP & Results Thread [Closed, Ajax only]

[Mutul]

Introduction

For the first time in three years, the Pitz World Court leave behind the jungles and swamps of the Mutul for a new host. Welcome, one and all, to New Tyria ! Capital of the Workers’ Federation, the Hiramite City, the Big Olive of Scipia ! Come and enjoy its museums, its restaurants, its millenia old culture and history. Although for today, you do not come for any of this…

…No. Today, you Fanatics, you come for one thing only: Pitz ! For the past few weeks, entire armies of Pitzomob, managers, team’ staffs, journalists, bodyguards, doctors, and supporters have landed In New Tyria-Celiceten International Airport. From there, they’ve taken over the streets, the hostels, the dining places, carrying with them the impatient excitement for the days to come, contaminating the locals as well. Languages, customs, none of these barriers matter today as millions of people will unite in their shared love for Pitz.

From Adversity: Victory; from Competition: Communion. Thus it ever was, Thus it shall ever be. May this mantra, this unofficial motto of the Competition, inspire all twenty national teams to go forth and do everything to bring back home the Solar Pitzball World Trophee !

Welcome, one and all, to the 86th Pitz World Court.

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Groupe Stage :

Group 1 :

• Alanahr
• Chenes
• Kayahallpa
• Onekawa Nukanoa
• Zacapican

Group 2 :

• Mutul
• Orun-Redisus
• Tyreseia
• Vardana
• Yadokawona

Group 3 :

• Charnea
• Mniohuta
• Pulau Keramat
• Talahara
• Untsangasar

Group 4 :

• Ankat
• Belfras
• Gristol-Serkonos
• Sante Reze
• Tsurushima

The rules of the group stages are simple : Teams in each group play against each others in a Round-Robin, and the top two teams will advance to the Knockout phases. The ranking is determined as follow :

1. By the number of matches won
2. The rounds ratio (the number of rounds won divided by the total number of rounds lost)
3. The number of balls passed through Stone Circles

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Schedule :

MATCHDAY 1 (August 1th 2022)

• Alanahr - Kayahallpa
• Mutul - Tyreseia
• Charnea - Pulau Keramat
• Ankat - Gristol Serkonos
• Chenes - Onekawa Nukanoa
• Orun Redisus - Vardana
• Mniohuta - Talahara
• Belfras - Sante Reze

MATCHDAY 2 (August 8th 2022)

• Alanahr - Zacapican
• Mutul - Yadokawona
• Charnea - Untsangasar
• Ankat - Tsurushima
• Chenes - Kayahallpa
• Orun Redisus - Tyreseia
• Mniohuta - Pulau Keramat
• Belfras - Gristol Serkonos

MATCHDAY 3 (August 15th 2022)

• Kayahallpa - Zacapican
• Tyreseia - Yadokawona
• Pulau Keramat - Untsangasar
• Gristol Serkonos - Tsurushima
• Alanahr - Chenes
• Mutul - Orun Redisus
• Charnea - Mniohuta
• Ankat - Belfras

MATCHDAY 4 (August 22th 2022)

• Kayahallpa - Onekawa Nukanoa
• Tyreseia - Vardana
• Pulau Keramat - Talahara
• Gristol Serkonos - Sante Reze
• Chenes - Zacapican
• Orun Redisus - Yadokawona
• Mniohuta - Untsangasar
• Belfras - Tsurushima

MATCHDAY 6 (August 29th 2022)

• Alanahr - Onekawa Nukanoa
• Mutul - Vardana
• Charnea - Talahara
• Ankat - Sante Reze

MATCHDAY 7 (September 5th 2022)

• Zacapican - Onekawa Nukanoa
• Yadokawona - Vardana
• Untsangasar - Talahara
• Tsurushima - Sante Reze

QUARTER FINALE (September 12th)

• First ranked group 1 - Second ranked group 4
• First ranked group 2 - Second ranked group 3
• First ranked group 3 - Second ranked group 2
• First ranked group 4 - Second ranked group 1

SEMI FINALE (September 19th)

FINALE (September 26th)

[Mutul]

Matchday 1

Group 1 : Alanahr v. Kayahallpa

Alanahr :
- turns won: 0
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 18
Kayahallpa :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 31

A very strange opening match this year as there was little hope for Alanahr national team, one of the last three nations participating in this Championship without a fully professional Pitz league. Thus, there was little emotion in the stadium as the Kayahallpans, who come from one of the most champion prolific Pitz countries in the world, utterly destroyed their opponents. But this set back seemingly did not demoralize the Alanahri players, fully conscious of the abyss of financial means and training hours that separate them from most of the other competitors. This does not get in the way of their supporters’ expectations, which is to see them do better than last year… which means winning two matches.

Meanwhile, the Kayahallpans are warmed up for their match against the Chenes. And after that, it’s the duel against the hated enemy: Zacapican. With the two rival countries in the same Group and the Mutul in Group 2, the Kayahallpans’ road plan for a perfect World Court is all set: win against Zacapican, get first place in their Group and then hopefully win against the Mutul in the quarter or semi-finales so that they can hold the Golden Pitz Ball with no remorse.

Group 1 : Chenes v. Onekawa-Nukanoa

Chenes :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 2
- points scored: 46
Onekawa-Nukanoa :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 34

The Pit Fighters, despite their non-professional etiquette, performed honorably against the Chenes winning a turn and almost winning another one through score play before being stopped by a decisive last minute pass-though of their opponents. All in all, a small game where the Cheniques got to show their mettle and the Onekawans got to charm the public through their joyous love of Pitz and their sportmanship.

Group 2 : Mutul v. Tyreseia

Mutul :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 15
Tyreseia :
- turns won: 4
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 25

When it was announced that the gods of fate had decided that the Tyreseians and the Mutuleses would meet on the first day of the World Court, tension exploded in both the Divine Kingdom and the Workers Federation. The defeat of the Mutul in the semi-finales at the hands of the Barqa, even though it had been a beautiful and intense confrontation in which no competitor was dishonored, never sat right with the Fanatic followers of the Court’s Lords. Notably, flag burnings by the Tyreseians supporters in Yu led to almost deadly assaults from the Pitz-ultras and the disappearance of a journalist. This itself created new protests back in New Tyria The shadow of this Hooligan War of 2021 loomed deadly over this confrontation, and over the competition as a whole.

Both the Tyreseians and the Mutuleses played the “Noble Game” today, to the roaring acclamations of the local supporters and the religious silence of the tattooed foreigners who only broke in guttural throat songs between sets. The first three turns were quickly won by either side, focusing their game on the side-Loops. It’s only during the fourth turn that the Pitzomob began “playing the ball”, marking point after point as neither managed to truly gain control of the loops. It’s the Barqas who managed to break the stand-still and to win the turn with a well deserved pass-through, to the audible appreciation of their supporters. They would go on to repeat their exploit, winning the fifth turn immediately with an other pass-through, punishing a mistake of the Court Lords. They made up for it the turn after, which ended with a Pass-Through of the Mutuleses after an intense and long round, but another turn of long-winded back-and-forth scoring led to another victory by the seating champions known to prefer these kinds of engagements.

With this, the Tyreseians were only one turn away from victory, but it was without counting on the fortitude of the Court Lords who managed to win the two next turns by pass-through, ultimately snatching victory for themselves and dictating the pace of a late game that was mostly played on the side walls rather than in the central alley or in the airs were the Barqas have excelled.

It’s not a good sign for the Tyreseians whom, despite their excellent performance, allowed victory to slip away in the last twenty minutes. The deception was thick in the air that night all over New Tyria. But for the Mutuleses however, it was a worthy revenge although with the bitter taste that the Court Lords had not dominated nor really punished the Tyreseians who remain a major favorite of the competition.

Group 2 : Orun Redisus v. Vardana

-Orun-Redisus :
turns won: 3
- circles marked: 2
- points scored: 39
Vardana :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 64

A match in the tradition of Oxidentale vs Scipian confrontations with on one side the “Noble Game” of the Westerners based on seeking pass-through, playing on the side walls, and focusing on the Loops; and on the other the Scipians who favor “Playing the Ball”. The Vardanians’ mastery of the latter style proved once again decisive against the Oxidentaleses who fell in the same pitfall as the Mutuleses did for the past two years against the otherwise unassuming team.

Thus the Vardanians, last year’ highest scorers of the group phase, confirm their mastery of the “aerial game” and the Scipian style. This bodes well for their future confrontation against both the Mutul (which they’ve already defeated before) and the current champions: the Tyreseians.

Group 3 : Charnea v. Pulau Keramat

Charnea :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 13
Pulau Keramat :
- turns won: 0
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 15

A decisive, absolute, victory for the Charneans who did not let any mistake of the Pulaui slip away without immediate punishment. In this the Revenants, and the many Charneans fans who made the journey to New Tyria by train to support their team, are equal to themselves: burning with the rage to win and to wash away last year’s affronts. The deception must be immesurable for the Pulaui supporters who came to see their team’s worst performance in the past three years at least. Will they be able to recover in time for their next match against Mniohuta ?

Group 3 : Mniohuta v. Talahara

Mniohuta :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 4
- points scored: 37
Talahara :
- turns won: 3
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 45

One of the most intriguing matches of the day for the true Pitz connaisseurs. Both teams have yet to make the transition to professional, but their amateurism is what brought so many scouts from the rest of the world to the bleachers. Under this pressure, it’s the Mniohutans who left the best impressions, notably in their control of the side walls and of the Loops, the weakness of the Talaharans who, like most Scipian teams, have always preferred a very central game. Something the Wobblies were punished for this time around as they tended to immediately fumble whenever the game left the central alley for the side walls.

Group 4 : Ankat v. Gristol-Serkonos

Ankat :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 37
Gristol-Serkonos :
- turns won: 2
- circles marked: 1
- points scored: 39

After years of absence from the World Court, it’s an excellent showing of their capacities that the Ankati did against another relatively untested team. The first two turns were scoring matches, a back-and-forth in points both won by the Ochraneses. They decided to take the initiative and dictate their pace to the game by switching their focus to the Loops for the third round, won by a pass-through. Behind on the score, the Norumbians badly engaged the fourth turn but were able to recover, steel their nerves, and win the exchange through the excellent performance of their wallmen. This migration of the game toward the side walls would define the rest of the match, with every turn won by pass-through, one for Gristol-Serkonos, and two for the Ankati.

Group 4 : Belfras v. Sante Reze

Belfras :
- turns won: 4
- circles marked: 4
- points scored: 23
Sante Reze :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 30

It was an incredible confrontation between two heavy-hitting teams today in New Tyria. But ultimately it’s the Rezeses who came out on top both on the strength of their wall game, with three turns won almost immediately by pass-through, and by their resilience in the aerial high-scoring exchanges, two turns won by score alone with only a small advance on the Belfrasians. The results were anything but granted however, with the Belfrasians immediately disrupting their opponents and opening the game with a round won by the Norumbians with no score on either side and an immediate Pass-through that concluded one of the shortest turn in the history of the World Court. Generally the Belfrasians dominated in these turns were the game shifted away from the central court and the final score would’ve been completely different if their game had been tighter and had given less opportunities for the Rezeses to punish them with well-placed path-throughs.With the Mutul - Tyreseian game this match was certainly the highlight of the day especially when you know the rivalry that oppose the managers of the two teams with Sante Reze’ coach being recently recorded saying, off-camera, that he will have his team “defeat [the Belfrasians] or die trying”. An extra motivation for the Green Band who had their life flash before their eyes multiple times throughout the game if they took the remark at heart.

[Sante Reze]

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Sports - Pitz World Court

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Recap: Sante Reze v Belfras
Sante Reze Squeezes Out a Win Against Belfrasian Powerhouse
BY AFFENE PATAPAUA

NEW TYRIA, TYRESEIA - In a thrilling match that kept Pitz fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle, the Republican All-Greens barely edged out a win against Belfras in a closely contested game.

The match entire was filled with tension from the opening move as Belfras score a pass-through in the opening seconds of the game, winning the round with the shortest turn in the history of the World Court. This may, however, have proved to be their undoing as their game appeared to loosen up shortly thereafter, allowing the Greens to seize control of the court more often than not, winning two rounds by points on top of their normal success at pass-through wins. The scoring game has always been a weakness for the Greens, but they showed up to this match with the motivation to win by any means necessary.

This did not, however, stop Belfras from another three pass-throughs as the game progressed, tying the turn score at 4-4 as both teams began to lag from their exhausting efforts. It was a matter of endurance for the final turn, which saw the veteran Green Grumio Olearius take the lead. Despite Olearius' seniority, he proved to be a decisive vanguard for the Greens, showing the Belfrasians the benefits of his move to Sante Reze.

In the end, it was a pass-through by the Greens that proved to be the difference and ended the game. Belfras tried desperately to equalize points in the remaining seconds, but their efforts to control the ball fell just short, and the Greens suddenly ended the match with the circle for a hard-fought 5-4 victory.

The win was a huge relief for the Greens, who had been under intense pressure to perform by their coach who was rumored to have insisted multiple times that either they would win, or the team would look to exchange as many players as they could find alternatives for - the departing players often referred to as having experienced their deaths. Belfras, meanwhile, may be left to rue their missed opportunities, but they can take comfort in the knowledge that they pushed the Rezese to their limits in a truly exciting match.

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[Gristol-Serkonos]

MULAWIL HALAB 86

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RECAP IN BRIEF: ANKAT v. GRISTOL-SERKONOS

Final score of the match, with Ankat winning against Gristol-Serkonos.

By: Mika Matsunaga, GSBC Sports

NEW TYRIA, TYRESIA - The Gristo-Serkonan National Pitz Team made its inaugural appearance in 86th Pitz World Court in New Tyria, the seaside city of the Scipian nation-state of Tyreseia, taking on the Ankati National Pitz Team as part of Group Four in the first matchday. The Gristo-Serkonan team faced an experienced Ankati Pitz team, with the first two matches being scoring matches. The Ankati team soon took the initiative when they focused on the loops in the third round. Gristol-Serkonos would win the fourth turn, with the team's wallmen holding a strong defence.

However, the Ankati team would prevail in the end, three turns ahead of Gristol-Serkonos.

The Gristo-Serkonan team remain optimistic despite the loss, "They were quite the tough opponents on the first go." says Ari Gustafson, the head coach of the Gristo-Serkonan team. "As our first appearance in the World Court, we aren't expecting much. But we will give our all to get as far as we can."

Matchday 2 would pit Gristol-Serkonos against Belfras on August 8th.

[Belfras]

Home|Belfras|Norumbria|International|Politics|Business|Technology and Science|Sports|Education|Health|Opinion

Belfras loses 5-4 to Sante Reze in opening match
"No improvement needed" Eliphas praises team following defeat

By Conrad Fenrius, Sports Correspondent.
^02/08/2022

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NEW TYRIA, TYRESEIA —

Following a match that many have already called one of the best matches of Pitz in the modern game, with a stunning pass-through in the first minute by Demipho Mutilus which has now become the fastest turn win in the history of the court. Despite this, a defeat to Sante Reze by a hard fought 5-4 victory.

Speaking following the match, manager Martinus Eliphas spoke highly of his team, dubbed Eliphas' babes despite the defeat. In a post match interview the manager highlighted the performance of the team, stating that their performance, if it continues, is more than enough to be proud of.

"I don't possibly see how we could've done better. It was an incredibly hard fought match and honestly both the 'Babes and the Greens fought magnificently, so I applaud their performance and do congratulate them on the victory. We led almost from the immediate start with a simply fantastic move by Mutilus, I've never seen a play quite like that. We need to look forward now, we have Gristol-Serkonos coming up and we cannot take any matches for granted going forward. While this match with Sante Reze has gone straight into contention for match of the season, we need to be doing this level of performance constantly."

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© Belfrasian News Service 2022

[Tyreseia]

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Mulawil Hala'ab: Tyreseia Falters against Mutul in Rough Start to Group Stage

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ESTADJU PROLEDOJA, NEW TYRIA—The formerly-ascendant Barqa faced a major stumbling block as they lost their first group-stage matchup against the Mutul in this year's Pitz World Court. The self-proclaimed "Lords of the Court" played a tough game; it seemed to be Tyreseia's game until the very end, when in the last twenty minutes, the Mutulese snatched victory from the lightning jaws of defeat. Estadju Proledoja, where some of the tournament matches have been playing, was nearly overwhelmed with Metropolitan Constables and Republican Guardsmen throughout the match, apparently fearing a home-turf repeat of the mass hooligan scuffles in the Mutul at last year's World Court. According to a NTMC spokesperson, the scuffles post-game were kept to a minimum despite the close and surprising outcome of the game. In any case, it seems the Tyreseian national team now faces an uphill battle if it wishes to defend its title and continue its reputation as successful "new men" in the world of Pitz.

Barqa's elected coach and manager, Izagu Parrada, said following the game that "before this match, I was confident that we would have no trouble defending our title. This close loss served to shake me from my naïveté... Do I think we stand less of a chance now? No. My hope is, going forward, this loss shakes up the players a little, makes them realize they can't be complacent even though they were last year's champions. We have a title to uphold, and that requires an order of magnitude more work on my part and on their part to make sure that we meet and exceed the expectations of our nation." Fans of Barqa, though certainly disappointed at the loss, largely seemed to agree with Parrada's hopes that the road goes uphill from here. In any case, the air around the tournament has become even more electrified as the stakes were raised by this loss.

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[Mutul]

Matchday 2

Alanahr v. Zacapican

Alanahr :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 1
- points scored: 17
Zacapican :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 29

In no specific order: two turn lost by the Alanahri before any point was even scored, two grinding duels where their opponents outpaced them, and one turn where the Zacapine kept the pressure throughout until the Scipians finally cracked and were punished for it with yet another pass-through. Alanahr only managed to scramble enough of an offense to mark one pass-through in a turn otherwise dominated by Zacapican.

Chenes v. Kayahallpa

Chenes :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 34
Kayahallpa :
- turns won: 3
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 27

In a surprising twist of events, the Kayahallpans have found their match ! Both in the “Noble Game” and the “Scoring Game”, the Cheniques have kept the upper hand throughout the confrontation. Kayahallpan won turns when they were able to punish mistakes of their adversaries but otherwise, they were kept under steady, heavy, pressure.

Mutul vs Yadokawona

Mutul :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 11
Yadokawona :
- turns won: 0
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 11

While Yadokanowa did not disappoint when it came to the “Scoring Game”, the Court Lords did not leave them the time to breathe and build their game.

Orun-Redisus v. Tyreseia

Orun-Redisus :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 1
- points scored: 12
Tyreseia :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 1
- points scored: 42

In a matchday that otherwise demonstrated all the peculiarities of the “High Game”, this one was an almost pure representation of what a “Score Game” is. Playing the ball continues to be the weakness of the Oxidentalese team, an unforgiving mistake when faced against the Tyreseians who were capable of keeping an almost flawless control of the ball throughout the game, even winning a turn 9-0.

Charnea v. Untsangasar

Charnea :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 14
Untsangasar :
- turns won: 0
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 15

The Revenants expediting their match against the Untsangasari, a still semi-amateur team, was less to their credit than their similar performance against Pulau Keramat, a more established Pitz country. In fact, nobody rejoiced much that night except for the Charnean fans, something most onlookers in the streets of New Tyria characterize as to be “in poor taste”.

Mniohuta vs Pulau Keramat

Mniohuta :
- turns won: 3
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 5
Pulau_Keramat :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 6

An incredibly rapid and fast-paced game with very few turns lasting more than a few points. All were ended by a Pass-Through.

Ankat v. Tsurushima

Ankat :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 1
- points scored: 22
Tsurushima :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 25

Despite the raw talent of the Ankati team, the Tsurushimeses "Hip Girls" have proven, like time and time again before, that they're one of the strongest contender to win the Golden Pitz Ball trophy this year. A great demonstration of what can be expected out of the "High Game".

Belfras v. Gristol-Serkonos

Belfras :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 14
Gristol-Serkonos :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 1
- points scored: 13

Tension was high in the early game with a long, hard fought, first turn. But unfortunately, Gristol-Serkonos’ players proved less resilient than their Belfrasians counterparts and fatigue took its toll on them, leading to a series of unfortunate mistakes that cost them the game.

[Mutul]

Matchday 3

Kayahallpa v. Zacapican

Kayahallpa :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 42
Zacapican :
- turns won: 4
- circles marked: 2
- points scored: 40

Rivalries in Pitz bring out the best out of every team. Both the “Ks” and the “Zs” have played magnificently, with very few mistakes that could be exploited by one or the other. The first round was, for example, a dragged out scoring game that was ultimately picked up and won by Zacapican (9-6). But the Kayans were able to immediately draw with a well-placed, well-coordinated, and well-played pass-through in the starting minutes of the second turn before the ball could even touch the ground once. This clearly signaled to the Zacapican’ staff that their team will have to avoid competing with their rivals on the flanks. And so they won another turn through scoring (9-7). And once again the Kayahallpans, now starting with the ball, were able to quickly tie up the score with another pass-through. Unfortunately for the Mountaineers a ill-timed mistake on their part was beautifully punished with a Zacapine pass-through, the first of what could have been a series if on the 7th turn the Kayahallpans did not wake up and contest rabidly the control of the ball to the Zs, dragging-out the turn but after almost half-an-hour, the Kayahallpans took the point with the close score of 10 to 8. And so it all came down to the 9th and final turn but unfortunately it seems that the Zacapican were less resilient than their rivals. 9 to 4 for the Ks who take the turn and with it, the victory.

Alanahr v. Chenes

Alanahr :
- turns won: 0
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 11
Chenes :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 2
- points scored: 32

The second game of Group 1 was unfortunately not as intense. Chenes national team remain on its winning streak against an Anahri team that continues to struggle in term of coordination and organisation. A shame when you know the quality shown by their players in national competitions which their staff seems unable to bring back out on the world stage.

Tyreseia v. Yadokanowa

Tyreseia :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 28
Yadokawona :
- turns won: 0
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 13

Quick and dirty game for the Tyreseians who outplayed the Yadokawonans in every aspects of the game: on the mid-fields, on the flanks, on the walls, in the airs or at the score, the Defending Champions prove once again that they deserve to be counted among the best of this Pitz generation.

Mutul v. Orun-Redisus

Mutul :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 15
Orun-Redisus :
- turns won: 0
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 12

A defeat that must be hard to swallow for the Redisean team who came into the World Court with the goal of presenting a new, credible, challenger to the more well-established Oxidentalese teams such as the Mutul or Sante Reze. And yet after two defeats against Vardana and Tyreseia which could be explained by a difference in style and game philosophy they were ill-equipped to deal with because of their relative absence on the global stage, now they also failed to even dent the Court Lords their de-facto rival in this Group Stage. On the other hand, After three matches and fifteen turns all won through pass-through, this completely reformed Mutulese team is really proving to their staff that they did the right call when fielding new, younger blood on the court. Let’s see how far they can go.

Pulau Keramat v. Untsangasar

Pulau_Keramat :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 41
Untsangasar :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 22

Untsangasar managed to drag-out and win a turn by scoring, but otherwise proved unable to hold against the much more experienced Pulaui. They can at least sleep well tonight, assured that they did the very best they could and that there’s no regret to be had.

Charnea v. Mniohuta

Charnea :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 4
- points scored: 18
Mniohuta :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 1
- points scored: 10

Another one-sided match for the Revenants, despite the best attempts of Mniohuta who are the first team to mark a Pass-Through against the Charneans this year. Something which their fanatics might consider to be reason enough for a grudge against the Norumbians, considering their pettiness.

Gristol-Serkonos v. Tsurushima

Gristol-Serkonos :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 2
- points scored: 54
Tsurushima :
- turns won: 4
- circles marked: 2
- points scored: 45

The match to defeat all expectations! It was a long, grueling duel between the Hip Girls and their opponents, a grinding match where every turn was hard fought, a high score game through and through to the point that only four out of the nine turns played ended with a Pass-Through being marked. GS national team proved their endurance, resilience, and mental fortitude in this game where nothing was certain until the very last second. A victory they take almost by surprise by aiming for the Loop and Marking in a bold move that could’ve been punished harshly by their opponents had it failed. But it didn’t and silence fell on the stadium for an entire second before the crowd exploded in cheers, overjoyed by this underdog adventure.

Ankat v. Belfras

Ankat :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 2
- points scored: 48
Belfras :
- turns won: 4
- circles marked: 4
- points scored: 24

Group 4 offered the most intense confrontations in this third Matchday. But Eliphas’ Babes might have taken too long to take this game seriously and while their performance on the Wings and Walls was close to perfect, It was the Ankati who dominated the centerfields and ultimately the Norumbians allowed them to dictate the pace of the game more often-than-not, which they exploited fully.

[Mutul]

Matchday 4

Kayahallpa v. Onekawa-Nukanoa

Kayahallpa :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 1
- points scored: 40
Onekawa-Nukanoa :
- turns won: 0
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 33

A score-intensive game in which the Onekawans were able to keep the pressure and stay close to the Kayahallpans in gameplay, only fatally relaxing their guard on their flanks for one turn, and yet they were never able to pass that threshold, to actually overtake in points their opponents. A great show from an amateurish team who show to the world their deep love of Pitz.

Chenes v. Zacapican

Chenes :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 20
Zacapican :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 1
- points scored: 13

Chenes was utterly dominating in this match, leaving no breathing room both in the middle and on the wings for their opponents. A series of quickly won by pass-throughs turns seems to have crushed the morale of the Oxidentaleses who lost the final turn 9 - 2.

Tyreseia v. Vardana

Tyreseia :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 2
- points scored: 41
Vardana :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 31

[align=]A long awaited confrontation between the two Scipians teams who can boast of directly defeating the Mutuleses on the court. The Barqa continue to solidify their position as the dominant team of their continent, with maybe only one real contender leff, although despite the odds, the Vardanians are also able to honorably defend their title of best scorers of the two previous editions of the World Court.[/align]

Orun-Redisus v. Yadokawona

Orun-Redisus :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 2
- points scored: 38
Yadokawona :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 31

Finally a victory for the Redisoreans! It won't win them a ticket for the play-off, as it was their last match of the group stage, but at least they won't end in last place like Yadokawona now might even if they win their next match.

Pulau Keramat v. Talahara

Pulau_Keramat :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 4
- points scored: 26
Talahara :
- turns won: 0
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 11

The Wooblies suffer greatly from their curses of being good enough to join the World Court, but not having the training nor the means to perform well against the full-time professionals and million solidus sport machines they have to face there on a weekly basis.

Mniohuta v. Untsangasar

Mniohuta :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 2
- points scored: 35
Untsangasar :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 30

If Pitz had been a purely score-driven sport, the Untsangasar would’ve dominated the Mniohutans today. But alas, their Marking game was sorely lacking which their opponents exploited fully.

Gristol Serkonos v. Sante Reze

Gristol-Serkonos :
- turns won: 0
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 9
Sante Reze :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 18

It was not even a competition. All the Norumbians could do was trying to remain stoic under the deluge of attacks from the Greens who utterly dominated the match in all meanings of the word.

Belfras v. Tsurushima

Belfras :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 4
- points scored: 27
Tsurushima :
- turns won: 3
- circles marked: 2
- points scored: 31

The match everyone was waiting for since the full composition of Group 4 was announced and for good reasons. Eliphas’ Babes and the Hip Girls offered what was probably the most intense duel in this matchday with turns won one-sidedly by both sides. But ultimately, the Belfrasians came out on top through the efforts of their Wallmen and the timing of their offense.

[Talahara]

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14 (2) Teg'ayyuret 2072
January 29, 2023
Baligan Dabar, Gawawa

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CRITICAL SUPPORT FOR TALAHARAN PITZ ?

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The Talaharan National Pitz Team, colloquially reffered to as "the Wobblies", returned to the World Court in New Tyria this week after a two-week break in the schedule only to face further disappointment, though to sports analysts and amateur pitz enthusiasts alike, this result was inevitable. "The Pulaui team is very much a tier above the pitz talent produced in Talahara," said Takelat language commentator, Girga Jugurtha, "That the Wobblies were able to score 11 points and outpace the Untsan Gasari team in their group is a strong showing. We should be proud of them."

Talahara had a close match-up against Mniohuta in the first round, but failed to take victory against the Norumbian team. Despite a two-week break to rest up and practice, the next two match-ups, Pulau Keramat and Charnea, would be by far the greatest obstacle to Talahara's progress from the group stage. The loss today ultimately confirmed that the nations exiting the group stage would be Pulau Keramat, Charnea, and Mniohuta; with Talahara and Untsan Gasar being out of contention in the rest of the tournament. It is unlikely that either nation will clinch a victory before the final round of the group stage where they face each other in a race to avoid the bottom of the standings.

The chief of the Talaharan squad, Igmasen Amer, was open about the team's disappointment in coming back to the tournament after a two-week break: "It's draining, obviously. We do our best but we really don't have the time, resources, training, or scouting potential that most of the international contenders have. We had a lot of success in 2070 where we finished in the middle of the pack and we declined a bit but didn't do too badly last year either, but the game has definitely stepped up since then and we haven't been keeping pace."

Despite poor results for the Wobblies last year and at present, pitz viewership and public interest have been on the rise in Talahara, with domestic viewing figures reaching over the two million threshold for the first time in Talahara's opening game against Mniuohuta. Over the past three years, there has been a marked increase in communal programming for pitz and other international sports and even the Gawawa Regional Legislature passed a bill to increase youth sports funding for various activities, including pitz. However, national-level funding and organization have lagged in support of growing the game. Several politicians have voiced concern that this is an issue of national pride, and even the Executor of Oversight and Public Safety, Asafar Gaya, had something to say: "You see, pitz has gained a lot of attention and for our team to be playing next door with our Rubric neighbour having a top tier team ... it's a bit of an embarrassment that we're not up to the international par. We should be doing our best to make a great showing at any event. It's a national concern for sure."

While their home audience is certainly looking at their performance with a critical eye, the players for the Wobblies remain stoic. Igmasen Amer continued in his post-game interview: "We know we have another tough match coming up ahead and even going into the tournament we know we're not going to be winning every match. But that's not the only point - we're putting on a show and we're also raising awareness. Hopefully, we're being an inspiration to the next generation of Talaharan pitz players and we're building the game at home - but we need more support from our communities to do that. We're hear to lay the foundation and the support that we've been receiving from our fans has kept us going through these tough times. We owe it all to them to build our game stronger for the future."

[Santheres]

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Sports - Pitz World Court

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Recap: Sante Reze v Gristol Serkonos
No Match, No Time to Look Away
BY AFFENE PATAPAUA

NEW TYRIA, TYRESEIA - In what could not be called anything close to a competition of peers, the Greens maintained a steady rhythm of four or five points before marking the circle; a purposeful, graceful match wherein they appeared to be playing more against themselves than their opponents, who had little more to do than look on and scramble for a handful of points themselves in their brief moments controlling the ball. This was a game between the Rezese wallmen and their vanguards, leaving their protectors with little to do except during the brief handovers to the GS nationals.

After a long rest, it would have been easy for the Greens to have lapsed into a torpor but instead they were chomping at the bit to burst back onto the court, planning on leaving no ground open for question as to their dominance of the court. Janaab Jawitz, the aging protector from the Mutul's pitz-star factory Ekpan, didn't even break a sweat, much to the dismay of his devoted fanbase. Said Jawitz, however, "Every time I think this is my last year, I think we prove that I don't have to be at the top of my game anymore. This team is truly a team of equals and doesn't need a star player in the headlines."

When asked what he thought of the Green's aggression in the face of such a woefully unprepared foe, Jawitz added, "We're not the best because we win quickly." But, with a wry smile as he turned away from the mic, he said, "It doesn't hurt, though, does it?"

Jawitz's fellow protector Aret Rabiurou, second youngest on the team though with her coaching experience far from unknown at the World Court level, could only shake her head at the antics of the offensive majority of the team. "I'm not going to say they shouldn't do what needs to be done, but look at that score. It didn't need to be done. We're here to entertain as much as win, and clowning around on the court isn't as entertaining as they think it is. Let's hope they don't keep this up, especially once we get out there with Tsurushima. This isn't just a game." She quickly corrected, "I mean, it is, but... you know what I mean," before heading back off the court. Hopefully, there's no lasting bad blood back in the locker room.

With two more games to go for the Greens, nothing is guaranteed. Ankat's record against Gristol Serkonos was a harder win, but they beat Belfras on the same order as the Rezese win. To top that off, Tsurushima's performance while sometimes lacking is inconsistent often in their favor. The Greens should take Rabiurou's advice to heart - these may be games, but they're not just playing around.

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[Mutul]

Matchday 5

Alanahr v. Onekawa-Nukanoa

Anahr :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 43
Onekawa-Nukanoa :
- turns won: 3
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 52

An awfully close match for the Alanahri, with many turns that could’ve been won by either team. But ultimately, despite the feeling of deception that plagued the Scipians and the rather individual playstyle of their Pitzomob, their experience allowed them to come out on top against the Pit Fighters.

Mutul v. Vardana

Mutul :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 4
- points scored: 23
Vardana :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 24

Disappointment for the Scipians! While they were able to challenge again the Court’ Lords and keep the pressure on them, clearly not all of their tricks and tactics worked as expected. It seems that the Mutuleses trained specifically to correct some of the errors of the previous years, and it bore fruits today. Unfortunately, this already mean that Vardana won’t be able to get to the Play-Offs as it needed to win today and next week’ matches to get its ticket for the next phase of the competition.

Charnea v. Talahara

Charnea :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 22
Talahara :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 34

None in Group 2 were able to find the right counterplay to the Revenants high-marking gameplay, and unfortunately the Talaharans did not change that fact. Still, an oddly high number of supporters from all around the world came to see the Wobblies manage at least to win a turn on their more experienced and better trained foes. Because of their ruthlessness, pride, and arrogance of their supporters, the Revenants really solidified themselves as this year’ Heel of the competition.

Ankat v. Sante Reze

Ankat :
- turns won: 2
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 25
Sante Reze :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 31

Ankat is a national team capable of doing everything, everywhere. But this unfortunately also mean they do not have a strongpoint around which to build a strategy capable of piercing through the Reze defense… at least not consistently. The side Walls were the domain of the All Greens, and they exploited their foe’s relative weakness there fully.

Matchday 6

Zacapican v. Onekawa-Nukanoa

Zacapican :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 2
- points scored: 30
Onekawa-Nukanoa :
- turns won: 0
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 21

There is very little to say about the performance of the Zacapican here. While their plays on the court central lane was only marginally better than that of the Pit fighters, they had complete control of the walls and use them as well as they could.

Ultimately, this is the lesson that the Pit Fighters can take out of this World Court: while their scoring game was either on-par with or a good challenge to the other teams of their Group, they clearly showed a lack of practice when it came to handling the Walls and the Hoops. Nonetheless, there are good foundation here and we can be sure that the Pitz World will watch with great interest the evolution of The Sport in Onekawa-Nukanoa.

Yadokawona v. Vardana

Yadokawona :
- turns won: 4
- circles marked: 4
- points scored: 35
Vardana :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 63

An incredible match that showcased perfectly the difference between Oxidentalese and Scipian Pitz! The Vardanians continue to prove themselves the masters of the central lane, keeping their opponents under inextricable pressure. This deluge of powerful balls forced the Yadokawonans to play on their wings and on the walls, where they found great success as the Vardanians defense isn’t impenetrable… yet. But it was not enough to compensate for the rising tide that was Vardana’ score. A close match, and an excellent parting show for the Vardanians who are in the run for the best scoring team in the world this year again.

Untsangasar v. Talahara

Untsangasar :
- turns won: 0
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 22
Talahara :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 45

Finally! Success for the Wobblies who will be able to leave the Competition with one victory under their belt. What really made the difference today was not necessarily the difference in skills between the two teams, after all they’re all still semi-amateurs at best practicing Pitz on their off-time, as shown by their rather underwhelming performances on the Walls, but its the experience of the Wobblies that came to the forefront.

Tsurushima v. Sante Reze

Tsurushima :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 17
Sante Reze :
- turns won: 4
- circles marked: 4
- points scored: 24

What a match! Truly this year Group 4 kept the suspense going until the very last second! Both the Hip-Girls and the All Greens fought to the bitter end for the control of the side walls while maintaining an excellent defense on the central alley. It was a pure example of the Noble Game.

Still, a bitter victory for the Hip Girls as, since the Rezeses had won the previous match, they could no longer mathematically win their ticket for the Play-Offs. They tied with the Belfrasians on the number of won games, but are one turn short (17 to the Belfrasians 18) of overtaking them on the scoreboard. Truly the decisive game of Group 4 was the defeat of the Tsurushimeses against the newcomers of Gristol-Serkonos…

[Tyreseia]

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Mulawil Hala'ab: Barqa Slams its Way to Quarter-Finals

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ESTADJU PROLEDOJA, NEW TYRIA—The streets of the capital have come alive again as the national pitz team slammed its way into the quarter-finals through a spectacular series of games in the group stage. Even though Barqa sat out the latest bout of matches, many fans eagerly watched their competitors duke it out in the Estadju Proledoja to see which nations would rise and which would fall by the wayside. Many teams put in a good show, win or loss. The final matches of the group stage also refined the themes likely to be seen throughout this year's World Court.

After Barqa's comfortable yet hard-fought victory against Vardana on Day 4, many commentators were quick to note that Tyreseian fans were more reserved in vitriol and more respectful of their opponents than after previous matches, like with the charge against Yadokanowa on Day 3 or Orun Redisus the day before. Indeed, a sort of "Scipian Brotherhood" appears to be forming, with fans of Scipian national pitz teams viewing each other as preferable alternatives to more far-flung teams from other continents. From this, it also appears a sort of Scipia-vs-Oxidentale rivalry has formed. Tyreseians are not the only culprits, either: fans and hooligans from many Scipian and Oxidentalese nations have come to blows in the capital with much greater ferocity and frequency than between Scipians or between the Oxidentalese, for example. Only Charnea, forever tied to Oxidentale, seems to buck the trend and side with the Lords of the Court over the proletarian teams of the home desert.

For the moment, fan clashes have remained relatively calm. Compared to the street battles seen in the Mutul last year, incidents of hooliganism have been relatively unremarkable in the Big Olive this World Court. City officials and team-members alike have encouraged good sportmanship from all participants. Regardless, fear of a renewed "Hooligan War" has kept many on edge, with both the New Tyria Metropolitan Constabulary and Republican Guard reportedly creating detailed contingency plans to contain any sort of serious violence at the source. Though many of the costs and subsidies associated with hosting the tournament have already been prohibitive to some, local councils have invested extra Rubricae into reminding guests and fans to refrain from bigotry or other bad sportsmanship in an effort to prevent combat before it starts. Some of these "good sportsman" campaigns, which include posters and social media advertisements, have received much ridicule on platforms like Rad.io. As one user wrote, "if a nation's citizens need to be reminded not to be [EXPLETIVE] racist over sports, than that nation shouldn't deserve to host a [EXPLETIVE] global tournament!" Some locals chimed in to agree, with another writing, "I feel embarrassed both of my countrymen and of our sports history every time I see these ads on the metro."

As Tyreseia braces for the coming battle against Charnea, Barqa's elected coach and manager, Izagu Parrada, seemed confident.
"The energy of our team... It has really recovered since our initial stumble. I think that defeat really humbled us, gave us a reality check. It stung, to be sure, but it re-infused us with that fighting spirit, the same energy and love for the game that got us all the way there last year," he stated before a gaggle of reporters after Day 6 of the competition. Fans seem to share his optimism; the combination of previous stumbles and a reigning champion title mean that the tension is especially high, and the air electrified, going into the quarter-finals of this World Court.

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[Mutul]

Quarter-Finales

Chenes v. Belfras

Chenes :
- turns won: 4
- circles marked: 2
- points scored: 31
Belfras :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 28

The Norumbian Finale ! And what a match it was between those two. It really fell like a challenger coming in to take the old king’s crown. And they were so close to do just that but alas, Eliphas’ Babes kept their heads cool, and kept the pressure on the sides coming in. An excellent match for Chenes nonetheless, who can really return home heads' high, because everything is there for next year to truly be the year...

Mutul v. Pulau Keramat

Mutul :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 4
- points scored: 24
Pulau_Keramat :
- turns won: 3
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 19

The Equatorial Finale ! A lot of electricity in the stands for this quarter finale, a lot of history, a lot of shared culture, not only between those two teams, but between those two countries altogether. And then tension was palpable throughout the match ! While at first the Mutuleses dominated their opponents, the Pulaui were able to find a nice rhythm, winning turn after turn through Marks. But ultimately the Court Lords were able to match their rythm, counter it, and get the match running at their own pace, to which the Pulaui were not able to find a counter before the end of the game.

Charnea v. Tyreseia

Charnea :
- turns won: 0
- circles marked: 0
- points scored: 10
Tyreseia :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 4
- points scored: 12

The Scipian finale ! And what a finale it was ! The Revenants flew too high, too quickly, and got burned by the true reigning champions of the continent, no, of the world: the Barqa ! In the scoring game, in the marking game, there was no playstyle for the Charneans to fall back on, the Tyreseians left them no room to breath, just like the Revenants had done to their opponents until now.

Sante Reze v. Kayahallpa

Sante Reze :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 27
Kayahallpa :
- turns won: 2
- circles marked: 1
- points scored: 24

The “Oxidentale Finale” between two giants of the Pitz world ! While at first both teams were able to cancel each other’ tactics, turning the two first turns into scoring games, the Rezeses were ultimately able to find their footing and get their “Marking game” running, moreso than the Kayans.

[Mutul]

Semi-Finales

Belfras v. Mutul

Belfras :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 23
Mutul :
- turns won: 2
- circles marked: 1
- points scored: 29

A lot of people tonight came to see the opposition between the two geopolitical rivals, each a giant of Pitz in its own right. Back home, both His Majesty the King Nicholaus and His Holiness the Divine Lord Jasaw Chan K’awiil V invited their respective counterparts’ ambassadors to see the match. But it seems that the Court Lords had become too previsible, too complacent in their game plan after a 5-0 winning streak. And the Belfrasians, who struggle a lot more this year, clearly did their homework in preparation for this match. They knew how to counter the Mutuleses’ tactics and by the time counterplays were deployed by the Court Lords, the game's pace was firmly not in their favor. An impressive victory for Eliphas’ Babes who reach for the first time in three years the World Court’ finale.

Tyreseia v. Sante Reze

Tyreseia :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 3
- points scored: 36
Sante Reze :
- turns won: 4
- circles marked: 4
- points scored: 14

An incredibly intense match between two powerhouses of Pitz, hotly contested until the very last second. There was a lot of pressure there on the shoulders of the defending champions as the All Greens were the last major team they had not faced, and defeated, in a major Pitz tournament. The all-rounded playstyle of the Barqas seemingly struggled throughout the match to find the right counter-play to the Rezeses aggressive focus on the Hoops, nor was piercing through their expert defense easy. But ultimately, the Lightning found the way to strike one more time and the referee’s final end call was almost drowned under the explosion of sheers and shouts from the crowd. For the second year in a row, the Tyreseians now move to the finale of the World Court.

[Belfras]

Home|Belfras|Norumbria|International|Politics|Business|Technology and Science|Arts|Sports|Education|Health|Opinion

Belfras into the Pitz finales
Pitz fever as country hopes for the best

By Talred Featherstone, Sports Correspondent
^25/02/2023

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NEW TYRIA, TYRESEIA —


"They've done it!", senior sports commentator Matt Wilisonos cried as Eliphas' babes saw off the Mutulese in a stunning 5-2 victory. The win, not only a historic defeat for the Mutulese against their northern neighbours, also has secured Belfras a highly prized place in the finales opposite the current title holders Tyreseia.

The match up between Tyreseia and Sante Reze, two strong contenders for the top spot, was hotly contested until the very last moment possible. For Tyreseia, the title holders, they had never faced the Sante Reze in a victory in a major Pitz tournament and in examinations following the match many agreed that the Barqas struggled against the All Greens aggressive focus. Eventually Tyreseia succeeded in securing a place in the finale after a final strike, winning 5-4. For Belfrasians, this offers both elements of hope and fear. Eliphas' Babes and the All Greens are matched up evenly in playstyle, something that Eliphas may be hoping will go their way in the upcoming finale as the Barqas have now proven they will struggle against such an aggressive style.

On the other hand, and something that many people in Tyreseia have pointed out, Belfras and Sante Reze had met in the group stages, with the All Greens winning 5-4. Also, pointed out by some senior Mutulese pundits, the Barqas are now used to playing against such an aggressive playstyle, whereas the Belfrasians have had a relatively relaxed match. Will this work in Belfras' favour, being more rested? Or will the Barqas win two on the trot?

In the Federation, a fever of Pitz has now reached heights never before seen in the country that had historically been very clearly divided in a north/south divided in regards to sports. In the souths, Pitz is king. In the north, a mixture of Belisarian sports reigns supreme. But with Eliphas' babes doing such an incredible job so far, many in the country are now hoping that Pitz will see a surge of support in the north.

At Questros Palace, the King had hosted the Mutulese ambassador Hun Tzib'ahk and members of the Embassy's staff for the match, with both figures exchanging formal pleasantries. Reports of a wager on the match remain unconfirmed, with the King being tight-lipped on the match. Following the final call, the King has confirmed that the ambassador has been invited back to the palace.

If the upcoming finale is a defeat for Eliphas' Babes, in what is very likely Eliphas' final outing as Belfras' head boss, have they already secured a lasting legacy in the sport? Many children in the country have been seen wearing Pitz jerseys during the tournament, and plans to expand the Orestes Pitz stadium have reportedly been confirmed to be in the works as memberships have increased by over 100,000 in the last three weeks.

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[Tyreseia]

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Mulawil Hala'ab: Barqa Explodes through to Finals, World Sits on Edge

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ESTADJU PROLEDOJA, NEW TYRIA—The darlings of the Workers' Federation have cleared yet another hurdle on the quest to become champions in the Pitz World Court for the second year in a row. All that remains is the final standoff with the Belfrasian national team. This team, the apple of Coach Eliphas' eye, is the favorite of many outside observers against Barqa. To add to the team's woes, many Pitz experts and casual fans alike have begun claiming that the Belfrasian playstyle of sheer, unadulterated aggression is a weakpoint for the Tyreseians. Others indicate that Belfras' players have kept more energy in reserve this World Court, while Tyreseia's have been giving every match their all. Many of the dwindling number of overseas fans remaining in New Tyria for the festivities seem to be turning their allegiances to the Norumbians in the days approaching the match as their previous favorites are all sent home.

The odds may seem stacked against them, but coach, team, and fan alike are undaunted. Barqa coach Izagu Parrada, along with several high-profile players, has been asked in jest by several groups to consider running for political office owing to their ability to inspire confidence in the face of unfair odds. Now, as always, the coach and the players have banded together to deliver a unified message. Speaking at a ceremony in Gadir's Izil Taha Hall of Councils, Parrada stated that "the match against Sante Reze was hard-fought and hard-won. I thank them for the challenge they gave us, and for the practice we gained which we may now use against Belfras. I hold no doubt in my mind that we, Barqa and Tyreseia as a whole, will win this final match. Our previous battles have been daunting, but we have succeeded. Each victory and each smile on the face of our fans gives us that little bit of energy in the tank to keep going and to win." Fans seem to agree; despite the lack of international support by many international fans, the local fans of Barqa have only intensified their loyal devotion and celebration. Purple clothes and elements of national costume like the tarbush are visible in Tyreseian towns and cities now more than ever. Bars, restaurants and any residence with access to sports television broadcasts have been more and more full with enthralled onlookers with each passing victory. High-rises near the Estadju Proledoja, be they apartments, workplaces or hotels, have opened their doors for those who wish to watch the games from on high. Sports is the talk of the town, and an excited tension over the outcome of the final game buzzes almost unspoken through the whole population. Simply put, the nation is gripped with Pitz fever.

Contrary to previous Vox Populi reporting, hooliganism and related activities have grown in the time since the quarter-final victory against Charnea. Notably, incidents of violence and property damage were most seen in exchanges between Charnean and Tyreseian fans, with Tyreso-Mutulese incidents coming in close second. In the run-up to the match against Belfras, however, those Charnean fans that remain in New Tyria have displayed a sudden change of heart. Perhaps as no Oxidentalese teams remain in the running, fans from Charnea are among the few nationalities to en masse turn out for Barqa. Tyreseian fans seem by and large unfazed by such a sudden and surprise show of support, with many simply taking it all as a sign of imminent victory. No matter what may come, it seems that Tyreseian fans cannot be swayed in their certain, headstrong convictions that the title of Champion will come to Barqa this year.

Regardless of the outcome, many fans in Tyreseia recognize that they have much to be proud of. Win or lose, Barqa has given a sustained and vigorous defense of its title from last year. On the whole, the city of New Tyria coped well with the mass influx of sports tourists to the coastal city, with only minimal issues. Rates of sport violence remain below the chaos seen in the so-called "Hooligan War" in last year's Mutulese World Court. The team has advanced to the semi-finals twice in a row, something unthinkable just a few years ago for the Pitz upstart. Barqa's incredible, almost fairy-tale performance in the past two seasons have made a Pitz nation out of the Tyreseians, among whom football was unquestionably dominant as recently as a decade ago. Even if Tyreseia loses in the finale, it will provide a succinct swan-song to the dramatic, nation-captivating spectacle that is Tyreseia's dominance of global professional Pitz. Amidst a time of political embarrassments, terrorist attacks and disjointed confusion, the national team's path to Pitz victory has proven a welcome, open respite that has brought the nation together. In the end, no matter who wins the final match, perhaps the Mutul will be ultimately victorious—after all, Tyreseians have so thoroughly attached national pride to their performance in this sport which was exported by them to Scipia in the first place.

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[Mutul]

Finals

Belfras v. Tyreseia

Belfras :
- turns won: 5
- circles marked: 5
- points scored: 9
Tyreseia :
- turns won: 1
- circles marked: 1
- points scored: 15

It all came down to this last night: Eliphas’ Babes against the Workers’ Darlings. In both teams’ home country, the official broadcasters of the event saw a never-seen-before spike in audience for a Pitz confrontation. In both cases, it is a sport being discovered by the majority of the population who either did not get to see their team previous victory, far away in a foreign country, for the latter or never grew in the Pitz-crazy regions of their country for the former. But it’s not only them, people all over the world tuned in to witness the confrontation with even the K’uhul Ajaw of the Mutul publishing a picture of himself and his family watching the Finals.

The match began in a thunderous roar when after not even thirty seconds of play the Belfrasians marked their first goal, winning the turn. A rather acid wake-up-call for the champions who could not stop the Belfrasians from marking another goal. As it seemed like the Babes were dictating their pace to the game, the Barqas were finally able to take control of the ball and began pummeling their opponents, marking points after points, until delivering the killing blow by marking a well celebrated goal. The fourth turn was even more intense, with the Tyreseians once again dominating on the scoreboard until the Babes were able to take control of the ball long enough to go for the goals. An attempt that was met with success. From there, despite all the best efforts of the Workers’ Champions, They were just not able to keep up with the Belfrasians rhythm, who marked two more goals, ending the match on the final score of 5 to 1. A deception for the Tyreseians fanatics present in the stadium.

But immediately thunderous shouts and songs came from seemingly everywhere at once: “It’s coming home! It’s coming home!”. The Belfrasian drought in international titles was now well and truly over. This seemingly historical moment was immortalized by the pictures of the two opposing Captains shaking hands in the middle of the Court, with all the gravity, respect, and good-sport their respective positions at the top of the Pitz World demanded of them. A symbolic passing of the torch as well as it will now be the mission of the Belfrasians to host the 2023 World Court.

[Belfras]

Home|Belfras|Norumbria|International|Politics|Business|Technology and Science|Arts|Sports|Education|Health|Opinion

Belfras wins Pitz finale
Federation to host 2023 World Court

By Talred Featherstone, Sports Correspondent
^26/02/2023

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NEW TYRIA, TYRESEIA —


It's coming home! Celebrations erupted through the stands as Eliphas' Babes marked the last goal to win the 2022 Pitz World Court with a deceptive 5 - 1 win over the Tyreseian title holders. Despite a tough fight by the Barqas, it ultimately ended up being an on-paper trouncing that hides what was a tough contest. In what was Eliphas' last outing as Belfras' head coach, his babes put up a fight that was watched by every sports-focused fanatic in a country now fully electrified by Pitz. The head of the Federation's National Pitz Committee (NPC) has spoken with Eliphas by phone congratulating him on the historic victory for the country as a whole and confirmed that several venues will be made available for the next World Court.

Belfrasian fans that had travelled to New Tyria for the event have been given their moneys worth, that is for sure. Celebrations began immediately following the final call of the match and are expected to last throughout the week. Back home, the King has confirmed that Monday and Friday (27th and 3rd) will act as emergency national holidays. Monday, King Nicholaus has told the news, will be to avoid an intoxicated work-force from causing hazards on the road or workplace and to allow celebrations to carry on until the end of the day. Friday has been confirmed by both the King and the NPC as when Eliphas' Babes will embark on a victory parade through Thessalona.

The lasting impact this victory will have on the country has already shown it's first roots. Interest in the sport in the northern half of the country, where the sport was the 7th most popular, has soared to a point where sports commentators now believe it is the most popular, with memberships of Pitz teams fans bases increasing dramatically to a point where the upcoming League Primus has now expressed worries about the lack of spectator space. The Orestes stadium is to undergo an expansion, previously approved but now expected to be one of many as the country now looks to the future.

Having won the 2022 World Court, Belfras will now host the 2023 World Court. The head of the NPC has so far only confirmed that both the Thessalonan and Orestes stadiums will be a part of the host for the next World Court, stating that the tournament will have four venues and negotiations are to begin to coordinate housing and training of international Pitz teams and spectators during the event.

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