NationStates Jolt Archive

Finally I get this done. The Corganen Championship!


Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Parwood City 34 23 8 3 76 24 52 77
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2 United Trilan 34 20 8 6 66 33 33 68
3 Deportivo del Arapucera 34 17 6 11 62 49 13 57
4 Prangren Greens 34 16 9 9 54 42 12 57
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5 AFC Neegera 34 16 7 11 53 49 4 55
6 Murley City 34 15 4 15 47 46 1 49
7 Harrington Lakeside 34 14 7 13 38 37 1 49
8 Fariynuff FC 34 14 7 13 45 54 -9 49
9 AS Assiri 34 12 10 12 41 45 -4 46
10 Delta Force Cardim 34 11 10 13 42 43 -1 43
11 Sorbridge Soccer Storm 34 12 6 16 40 47 -7 42
12 Curzek Rovers 34 12 6 16 41 57 -16 42
13 FC Bargoiten 34 11 7 16 44 55 -11 40
14 Grayton City Wolves 34 11 6 17 52 56 -4 39
15 Yarzoya FC 34 11 5 18 50 52 -2 38
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16 Tilsham Rovers 34 9 11 14 33 52 -19 38
17 Club Virling 34 9 8 17 36 54 -18 35
18 Marthley Rovers 34 6 9 19 23 48 -25 27



Parwood City are champions; the rest of the top four enter the next TQCC. Tilsham Rovers, Club Virling and Marthley Rovers are relegated; Achorpe Rovers, Muffidge Rovers and Minsten Academicals are promoted in their place. Preview of the season... probably on Wednesday.

HOMAGE TO TQCC CHAMPIONS

The shirts of the 25 players that composed Petardos S/A's roster in the last TQCC, when the team won the competition, were put in a wall together and will be exposed in the main hall of the team's headquarters for a month. The first eleven shirts are of the ones that started in the final. The seven next are of the substitutes of that same game, and the last ones are from the players that didn't participate in the final:

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/8564/tqcchomageje7.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w175/candelariaandmarquez/cmscxxix.png

Last Five Seasons
CMSC Winners Runners-Up Third Place Cup Winners Runners-up
XXIV Albrecht FC MarquezOW Turks’ Club Radyukevich Turks’ Club
XXV Albrecht FC Green Island A.Turks Green Island Radyukevich
XXVI MarquezOW A.Turks Albrecht FC A.Turks El din Marbles
XXVII A.Turks Green Island Albrecht FC KT Hotspur MarquezOW
XXVIII Albrecht FC A.Turks MarquezOW MarquezOW KT Hotspur

CMSC XXIX Preview

Yes, even later into the World Cup cycle than ever; the second-, or possibly third-, or maybe even fourth-most international league in the world, the Candelaria And Marquez Soccer Championship, returns for its… um… ecs ecs eye ecs season.

The effect of the four-foreigner quota hit home this break, with just a scattering of new players brought in from overseas, and few of those big names. Not that that’s seen a huge number of Candelariasians moving between CMSC clubs, with the cash from the various television contracts appearing to be trickling mostly into the youth academies. Which augers well for C&M’s bid in World Cup 48 on home turf (well, we can dream, can’t we?), but it leaves things terribly samey for the here and now.

As yet, no clubs have built up enough money-spinning appearances in the TQCC to really be able to afford to cherry-pick from mid-table outfits; but that’ll come – this may very well be the last season that anyone but the Albrecht pair can hope to win. As far as moves between clubs prior to XXIX go, the major event has been Jason Federici’s shift from Port of Clotaire to Cathedral City, for a CMSC record transfer fee of Undisclosed. PoC have been quick to slag him off as a turncoat and one-season wonder, while Cats fans are wondering if there weren’t perhaps better ways of spending their TQCC semi-final winnings.

With little evident change in the rosters, the main focus has been on the new format – eighteen teams, with three relegation spots. What is more, the impression made by the TQCC has effectively led to the creation of two entirely separate leagues of seventeen games per side each – let’s call them, I dunno, the “Opening” league and “Closing” league. Except we’ll give them Spanish names, because it’s always nice to placate the Hispanics, particularly in this climate of fear and suspicion.

Not that it really matters who win the Apertura – what’s important is finishing in the top four (and top two for preference) after matchday seventeen and/or matchday thirty-four. CMS Cup? It’s just a piece of tin compared to the solid gold offered by playing the Petardo S/As, Raynor City Rockerses and Parwood Citys of this world.

And, um…


Foreign transfers prior to XXIX

Tate Parrish (Arroza) ----------> to Candelaria-Allemali
Júnior (Cafundéu) ----------> to Green Island
Ryan Taylor (Capitalizt SLANI) ----------> to Albrecht Turkish
Eli Baker (Frontenax) ----------> to Cathedral City
Russ Zapata (Kereca) ----------> to Green Island
Junichi Inaki (Kura-Pelland) ----------> to KT Hotspur
Fedde Jeffrey (Kura-Pelland) ----------> to Turks’ Club
Akram Sabzvari (Ma Raque) ----------> to Gamboa FC
Morgan Banz (Valanora) ----------> to Caires Sports
Ashersk Valinial (Yafor 2) ----------> to Caires Sports
Kopas Valete (Zarbli) ----------> to Albrecht FC

Foreign players moving between C&M clubs, retiring and whatnot

Naoki Tonnelier (Ariddia) ----------> retired, joins Albrecht FC coaching staff
Samual Taha (Bettia) ----------> from Albrecht Turkish to Bettian Apex League (Unspecified)
Karl Matthews (Bostopia) ----------> retired, joins KT Hotspur coaching staff
Kim Mihyeon (Daehanjeiguk) ----------> from Castillo FC to Caires Sports
Andrew Ryan (East Antairees) ----------> from Gamboa FC to Alvery Blades
Carlos Avarelli (Kura-Pelland) ----------> from Castillo FC to Kura-Pellandi Soccer League One (Unspecified)
Stephen Hill (Kura-Pelland) ----------> from Turks’ Club to Harrington Lakeside [KPL]
Danny Ibbetson (Kura-Pelland) ----------> from KT Hotspur to AS Assiri [KPL]
Lee Xin (Kura-Pelland) ----------> from Castillo FC to Imperial League (Unspecified)
Xavier Le Monde (Kura-Pelland) ----------> retired, joins Turks’ Club coaching staff
Andy Madden (Kura-Pelland) ----------> from El din Marbles to Porterbridge City [KPL]
Walter Tensen (Kura-Pelland) ----------> from Port of Clotaire to KT Hotspur
Manuel Zelzi (Kura-Pelland) ----------> from Castillo FC to Turks’ Club
Jamie Watson (Scotchpinestan) ----------> from MN Smith to El din Marbles
Fred Michaels (Valanora) ----------> died, leaves Green Island. Obviously.
Kim Zetaback (Valanora) ----------> from Mayo Valley to Port of Clotaire
Roger Zetaback (Valanora) ----------> from Green Island to Soldarian FC [ESF]

Foreign coaching staff (known)

Asdrubal Espinoza (Aguazal) ----------> manager of Albrecht Turkish
Naoki Tonnelier (Ariddia) ----------> coach at Albrecht FC
Karl Matthews (Bostopia) ----------> coach at KT Hotspur
Xavier Le Monde (Kura-Pelland) ----------> coach at Turks’ Club
Giorgio Pezzoni (Kura-Pelland) ----------> assistant manager at Turks’ Club
Matthew Tortini (Kura-Pelland) ----------> manager of Arrigo Portuguese
Andy Wooloworth (Kura-Pelland) ----------> manager of Marquez-Onwere
Thomas Larson (Praying2God) ----------> manager of KT Hotspur


~ New players in italics, foreigners in bold. New players who are also foreign are in both italics and bold. Not that you need to be told what italics and bold look like, but anyway. Players are aligned from right to left where applicable. ~

Albrecht FC (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/albrecht_fc.html): Santamaria – Valete, Meyer, Wojciechowski, St. Louis – Corradini (c) – B. Edwards, R. Edwards, Fattori – Vanderpent, Cunningham.
The Boardroom: Cyril Mastini (Owner), Martin Hole-Simpkins (Director of Football), Lynn Lukes (Executive Vice-President)
Coach: Andy Le Lan
Nickname(s): Albrecht, the Scorpions, the Deviants
Shirt Sponsor: Bjorkstrand Pharmaceuticals
Stadium: Millerman Sheppard Stadium, in Songstress, Albrecht (cap. 40,614) (http://i11.tinypic.com/6sajcls.png)
Details: A mercifully peaceful off-season with détente declared in the boardroom. Actually, if anything it was a little too quiet, with Le Lan unable or unwilling to celebrate his first transfer window at the helm with a host of new signings. Valete is an exciting prospect but will start the season from the physio’s room, while Ryan Fattori adds width but is untested at this level. They’ll have to make the most of what is set to be Peter Vanderpent’s last season at the club, and Stefan Santamaria is thrown into the deep end in goal… Actually, it’s not looking particularly great, is it?
On the Bench: The impressive cadre of kids is added to by Dominic Amah who could squeeze big Shane out of the side, while Jamie Rawlinson is a useful lump up front. Keep an eye on holding players Ben Zec and Lee Keyes, who will battle it out in the reserves to be Corradini’s heir. Nic Noble will get plenty of games at right-back while Valete recovers.
The Fans Expect: The title, a couple of TQCC runs, and a high quality of football from start to finish. They’d quite like their city not to be bombed again, kthanx.
The Pundits Expect: They’re the bookies’ favourites again, but there are concerns about Fattori in particular fitting in to the 4-1-3-2. It should be a tight contest… but then we said that last time…

Albrecht Turkish: Martinez (c) – Dixon, Williams, Adams, Kelly – Cohen, Soldarian, Reizei, Kennedy – Maini, Taylor.
The Boardroom: Robert Gilbert (President), Donovan Alexander (Director of Football)
Coach: Asdrubal Espinoza
Nickname(s): A.Turks, Turkish, the Millermen, the Kinsmen
Shirt Sponsor: PBP Software
Stadium: Albrecht FC groundshare with Turkish, much to both sides’ irritation.
Details: Their sparkling late form fizzled out and Kris Healy departed for the Big Blues. Espinoza clearly did great things with a mediocre 12 de noviembre side, but would it be immodest to claim that the Turkish job is quite a step up? He has the added disadvantage of having his off-season signings made for him, but you surely cannot argue with the quality of Taha’s replacement, nor the promise of young Niv Cohen. His fellow MN Smith refugee Lance Adams is a curious one, though. Expect a more controlled outlook from Turkish under the Aguazul native, but they still look the strongest XI in the league.
On the Bench: This may prove the problem. As well as an extremely large lump of gold, Turkish had to part with three young squad players for Taylor and will be susceptible to injuries. They’ve no troubles up front, with Connor Tucker joining the awfully young Russell Maidment on the bench, but thirty-three year-old Rachid Hadji may see a little too much action in defence.
The Fans Expect: That Espinoza will need time to bed in, but they’ll have to be competitive from the word go this time.
The Pundits Expect: Likewise, but Andy Woolworth won the title on his first tilt, so why can’t Espinoza?

Marquez-Onwere FC (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/onwere.html#Football): Primrose – Horner (c), Douyadari, Zulqadr, Sosa – Cassumba Domingos, Sánchez, Stafador, Siriwong, E. Kjaer – Careca.
The Boardroom: Serge Facey (Chairman), Clement Wiley (Director of Football)
Coach: Andy Woolworth
Nickname(s): MarquezOW (“mar-keth-ow”), the naranja
Shirt Sponsor: HIS Communications
Stadium: Estadio Francisco Álvarez, in Onwere (cap. 30,538) (http://i8.tinypic.com/8eaakc7.png)
Details: Evolution more that revolution, despite Woolworth’s post-season claims to the contrary, the biggest signing is young Diego Sánchez from Castillo… which really isn’t going to get the heart beating any faster. He’ll add some much-needed solidity though, which may free up Cassa and Kjaer – the younger one this time, with Niclas having departed – to join Siriwong and Careca in the attack and among the goals.
On the Bench: If the current crop of youth is anything to go by, MarquezOW won’t have to worry about spending big for quite some time. Nineteen year-olds Brandy Dolan and Dean Shen need games now and could let be loaned out, but watch out for tricky young winger Francisco Gómez.
The Fans Expect: They really need a proper title challenge this time, in the TQCC at the very least, and they still see themselves as the best equipped to challenge the capital giants.
The Pundits Expect: Sánchez the missing link? Probably not, which means that they’ll just fall short again and merely finishing in the top four after the Apertura and Clausura stages has to be the primary aim.

El din Marbles (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/el_din.html): Mkhonza – Naylor, Laurie, Torrell-Whyte, Quinn – LeCass, Marshall, Panama (c), Percy – Soro, Watson.
The Boardroom: Keith Last (Chairman), Cidro Siles (Director of Sporting Relations)
Coach: Carlos Panadero
Nickname(s): The Marbles
Shirt Sponsor: Benito [Construction]
Stadium: Little Road Stadium, in El din (cap. 28,520) (http://i2.tinypic.com/6uiih6s.png)
Details: ‘Lump it up to Madden’ is no longer an option, which is a major boost for those hoping to see C&M’s most socio-economically diverse club prosper on the global stage. With fingers crossed for making the TQCC group stage they’ve invested heavily, with Evan Laurie an expensive acquisition from Turkish to bolster that occasionally leaky defence. Jack Marshall’s banishment from Albrecht is also a surprise but he could form the dream partnership with the more defensively-minded Crawford Panama, while the arrival of former Golden Boot winner Watson ensures that they’ll be amongst the goals once more.
On the Bench: Nothing much, but they’ve kept the ousted Zach Malde and Joe James, who can still do a job in a pinch. For a side fighting on three fronts it’s pretty thin, though.
The Fans Expect: Making the semi-finals of the third TQCC, matching the achievement of Catedral, would be great, but in practise they’re looking for a couple of top-four finishes again. They’ll accept less though, as long as they still show progress.
The Pundits Expect: Panadero’s even more of the testículos del perro in the eyes of the press than last year, though their best chance of fighting for the title relies on not making the TQCC group stages.

Caires City (http://nationstates.wikia.com/wiki/Caires): Currey – San, Tipton, Avdeev (c), Morisson – Cozzi, Becchio – Varnali, Dionsío, German – McGuire.
The Boardroom: Ivor Fisher (President), Simon Largo (Director of Football)
Coach: Elgin Dannat
Nickname(s): the Errant Knights, City, the Towers
Shirt Sponsor: McNeil Bingo
Stadium: The McNeil Bingo Arena, in Caires (cap. 25,119)
Details: The smallest of Caires’ three professional clubs, City have the bragging rights at the moment. With little spare cash however, Dannat’s squad looks almost identical, and only young winger Andrew German is an addition to their defensive but flexible 4-2-3-1. They’re not the plucky little no-marks now though, and everyone knows how they play, so this could be a very difficult season. Henry Morrison and Alex San will have to show they’ve developed, and the Kura-Pellandi pony up front has to belatedly develop another trick.
On the Bench: Um… It’s basically the same again. What can I tell yeh, it’s been a busy last couple of weeks… Anyhoo, youngsters Stephen Trease (right midfield) and Freedom Weller (centre-back) may make an impact.
The Fans Expect: That it’ll be a real struggle this time, but they have faith in Dannat.
The Pundits Expect: That they’re not going to be going for the TQCC places again, but there’s a lot worse in the CMSC this year.

Port of Clotaire (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/clotaire.html): Cressey – Walker, Instonenext (c), Redway, Adekunde – Alaoui, Zetaback, Orlovic, Turkmen – Donnelly, Waywide.
The Boardroom: Patrick Verde (Chairman), Robert Moyes (General Manager)
Coach: Niko Mason
Nickname(s): PoC, the Harpies
Shirt Sponsor: Kitchen Universe
Stadium: Harper Street, in Clotaire (cap. 26,600) (http://i10.tinypic.com/8g9c7eh.png)
Details: Three successive top-seven finishes should be enough for this cash-trapped club, but the selling of Jason Federici has stunned fans and experts alike. Verde, Moyes and Mason’s roles are all under threat, but all have been eager to slate Federici as a jumped-up brat and legend in his own lifetime, etcetera and so forth. Instead, they’ve signed Kian Donnelly from Albrecht – a good player, potentially, but hardly a natural partner for Lee Waywide. The arrival of the younger Zetaback sibling ensures that Mason intends to put out a more offensively-minded unit, ditto God’s Power Adekunde.
On the Bench: Nothing much in the way of newcomers, but it’s time for Evan Barton to force out Kenan Orlovic, Dean Dotson could threaten Donnelly, and Matt La Vista has a much more interesting surname than Arthur Walker, and is nailed-on to take his right-back spot as a result.
The Fans Expect: Top four, twice, at the very least after letting Federici go, and a title challenge if the Albrecht pair start stumbleyly.
The Pundits Expect: Even more positive, most reckon they’re the best of the rest outside the capital and have the first team to challenge at the very top. It might even be fun to watch, as well.

Green Island Zapata (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/zapta.html): Júnior – de Roviere, Young, Zapata, Desideri – va Drake, Carpenter, Head (c), Okeke, Yalçin – Vidakovic.
The Boardroom: Allan Adams (Chairman), Michael Farmer (Director of Football)
Coach: Hane Davies
Nickname(s): Green Island, Green Zapata, Green, the Islanders, the Zapata-based club, GIZ, the major club of the semi-antonymous Green Island, the Negroes
Shirt Sponsor: UWD [United Waste Destruction]
Stadium: Marlow Park, in Zapata (cap. 31,616) (http://i6.tinypic.com/6sv3gu9.png)
Details: Second on to MarquezOW in their shamelessly gung-ho attitude, it’s all change in Zapata and can Davies deal with it? They’ve spent the cash the received for Rául Vélez, with former C&M international Reiban Okeke sitting behind Stuart Vidakovic and the itinerant Özkan Yalçin slotting onto the left. Roman Perkins’ injury worries have brought about the emergency signing of veteran Júnior, but Russ Zapata is probably the most exciting arrival, if only for shirt sales. Ben Head and Lloyd Carpenter will man the midfield and allow the others to bomb on forward as usual, making the new-look GIZ a genuinely interesting and unpredictable prospect.
On the Bench: Not much likely to worry the first XI, but Andrew Fitzpatrick’s progress will be interesting to watch, given that he’s got to force out an Eesseffian international first. Jack Yilmaz is the spare man up front.
The Fans Expect: An interesting season, and the first of two or three such until they can challenge again.
The Pundits Expect: Pretty much the same, actually. Which is interesting.

Abiodun’s Gamboan Club (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/abiodun.html#Gamboa_FC): Piccioni – Armstrong (c), Sabzvari, Knight, Abdellah – Ely, Jones, Jua, Dobson – Richardson, Castelão.
The Boardroom: Dave Quinzi (Owner), Edward Armstrong (Chairman), Waheeda Benromdane (Chief Executive), Terry Cooper (Director of Football)
Coach: Andrew Duffy
Nickname(s): Gamboa FC, Gamboa
Shirt Sponsor: Cretton & Cianfarani [Financial Planning]
Stadium: Wallpark Road, in Abiodun (cap. 30,092) (http://i11.tinypic.com/6jote3a.png)
Details: The nobbiest club in the country, Gamboa can always rely on their wealthy benefactors filling out all those executive boxes; and their new signings, while hardly big names, look like well-considered additions. It’s always about the youth with Gamboa at the moment though, with George Jones feeding fellow twenty year-old Cas Richardson up front and little Kevin Ely working the wings. They still can’t do anything but plough forwards like man things, but this time there’s a defence to support them, and if the worst comes to the worst they can always go route-one with Richardson.
On the Bench: The reliance on kids is even more in evidence here, but on this showing Gamboa’s youth system may yet become the envy of the Candelarias. That seventeen year-old Jack Royle is the only holding option in midfield is a concern, but older stars Nick Noble (not that one, t’other one) and Eddy Price could offer some solidity and experience.
The Fans Expect: That this side needs one more season to gel before launching a genuine title bid and, though they’re a demanding lot, they’ll accept anything in XXIX that doesn’t involve a struggle at the wrong end.
The Pundits Expect: That they’ll stay up, but they’re quite pessimistic all-round. The squad does seem just a little too youthful, and a TQCC place looks a very distant prospect at this stage.

KT Hotspur (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/khatib.html#KT_Hotspur): Sbaïz – Shehu, Knight, Johnson, Fisher, Inaki, – Sattler – Tensen, Milton (c), Kortsarian – Gallagher.
The Boardroom: Laurence Adamczyk (Eternal Chairman), Lee Adamczyk (President, Vice-Chairman, Director of Sporting Affairs), Jerry Huntick (Director of Football Development)
Coach: Thomas Larson
Nickname(s): the Spur
Shirt Sponsor: OnTime [Clock Repairs]
Stadium: The Valleys, in Rose of Sharon, Khatib-Gassett (cap. 22,284) (http://i1.tinypic.com/89tugz7.png)
Details: Only three at the back? Are you sure? Actually it’s five of course, with Besnik Shehu and new Kura-Pellandi Inaki wing-backs in name only. That still represents progress from Larson’s Spur, but the failure to bring in a top-class centre-half may ironically lead to defensive frailties. Danny Ibbetson could be a player reborn after being restored to the midfield, expect he’s been sold now, so he can’t; but Larson’s decision to take GIZ’s money for Yalçin may backfire, given that successive managers at Radyukevich couldn’t get much of anything out of Christian Sattler. Walter Tensen’s a good buy but, though there haven’t been many managerial changes lately, Larson could well be the first if it doesn’t start well.
On the Bench: Doesn’t anyone care about their bench anymore, or do Candelariasian clubs just not like doing business with each other anymore? Riccardo Bates returns home up front, but the challenge on the left will be interesting with Iain Anderson and Washington Johnson expecting to make an impact out on loan.
The Fans Expect: Not an awful lot, in all honesty, and their main battle may be to finish ahead of Turks’ Club again.
The Pundits Expect: That man-for-man they’re not at all bad, and will be among the better of the mid-table morass.

Turks’ Club of Khatib (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/khatib.html#Turks.E2.80.99_Club_of_Khatib): Jeffrey (c) – Jordan, Towle, Bloomquist, Zois – Zelzi, Lewis, Nxele, Dolphin – Parr, Johnson.
The Boardroom: Milo Craven (Chairman), Sheila Howes (Director of Footballing Operations)
Coach: Derek Marshall
Nickname(s): Turks’ Club, TurksKT, Turks and anything else on that theme bar Turkish
Shirt Sponsor: Darren Dodd [Publishing]
Stadium: Khatib Together Stadium, in Khatib-Gassett (cap. 27,044) (http://i9.tinypic.com/8fe4g3p.png)
Details: After a complete and spectacular failure to properly fund Felipo Curana; Craven, Howes et al have given Marshall a certain amount of cash to splash, but its hardly going to turn one of the CMSC’s great underachieving clubs into world-beaters overnight. Despite Curana’s exit, the presence of popular coach Giorgio Pezzoni among the backroom staff proved sufficient to entice Manuel Zelzi from Castillo to join his fellow Kura-Pellandi compatriots, and Fedde Jeffrey to succeed the older Hill in goal. Centre-half Leon Towle showed promise at Mayo and Kovac Johnson travels half a mile up the city to partner Hague Parr up front, while the rest of the younger players are maturing nicely; but it’s still going to be pretty dull and you have to worry about their goalscoring capabilities, especially with Xavier Le Monde joining Pezzoni among the coaching staff and Austin Lewis his replacement.
On the Bench: Luke Cole’s arrived on a bosman from Caires Sports, which is something of a surprise; otherwise it reflects the first team – solid but forgettable. There aren’t even any noteworthy kids coming through, which is a travesty for a club with the Turks’ history in this area.
The Fans Expect: A finish in the top nine or Craven out on his arse.
The Pundits Expect: With eighteen teams now, there’s room for the likes of Turks’ Club to be crap but safe.

Cathedral City (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/el_din.html#Football): Zaripov – Baker, Spelman, Christmas, Silva de Aviz (c), Duxbury – Filmar, Jobson, Folqueira – Ozi-Mayer, Federici.
The Boardroom: Nigel Morilla (Chairman), Jacob Martín (Director of Football)
Coach: Charlie Cunningham
Nickname(s): Cathedral, Catedral, the Cats
Shirt Sponsor: Tucker’s [Retail]
Stadium: La Neuva Decimotercia, in El din (cap. 27,227) (http://i1.tinypic.com/86pe1pk.png)
Details: Arguably the biggest signing of the summer – and certainly one of the most expensive – saw Cunningham spend his TQCC semi-finals money on Jason Federici, but in doing so have the Cats surrendered their edge in size and physicality? The youngster’s goals certainly dried up for PoC last term, and besides him and Frontenax star Eli Baker there’s very little change to a side that ultimately finished far too close to the soup for comfort. They remain far more technically astute than many give them credit for, and Cunningham is one of the few Candelariasian managers really ready to make risky tactical changes at the drop of a hat.
On the Bench: Winger Tomás Bruzón, in from Clube Marquez, might make an impact in time, but Emiliano Taffarel is really the one to watch. He must be absolutely smarting after losing his place to Federici.
The Fans Expect: Doing better than the Marbles is key. If their rivals go on to make an impression in the TQCC, Cunningham’s earlier achievement will look rather less impressive and their lowly league finish may – may – see pressure brought.
The Pundits Expect: That things will be much more difficult for them than the public appear to think. Cunningham, lest we forget, has already relegated two clubs in his career and, while there’s some real talent here, only on rare, wonderful moments does it all come together.

Arrigo Portuguese (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/arrigo.html#Football): Halford – Travers, Horin, Gackbang, Ganaha – Carocha, González, Reddington, Belling (c) – Cvecej, Smith.
The Boardroom: Eduardo Morales (Owner, Executive Director) John Alessandri (Chairman), Stephen White (Director of Football)
Coach: Matthew Tortini
Nickname(s): Portuguese, the Hueva
Shirt Sponsor: Morales Automobiles
Stadium: Estadio Arrigo Nacional, in Arrigo (cap. 44,123) (http://i24.tinypic.com/mt4ajl.png)
Details: Not much has changed here either, which is a grim thought. God, how do all these Directors of Football sleep at night? Anyway, Matt Reddington is clearly an upgrade on Carroll Eriksson, but the continuing effort to find a partner for Djabgor Cvecej has come up with… Tom Smith? Really? The GIZ bench-warmer? One has to trust El Profesor, and it can’t be humanly possible for it to be as mind-numbingly dull as last year, but Tortini must prove his can make the most not only of his impressive flankers but the effervescent talent of Jamie González.
On the Bench: Having an all-Kura-Pellandi backroom staff does seem to make finding Candelariasians from the lower leagues tricky, but they’re hardly alone in that this year. Honestly, have we no depth below the top fifteen or so whatsoever? Anyhoo, Riccardo Bella’s back, I think, and may replace Gackbang if age catches up with the Vephrese star, while teenager Richard Johansson may be the answer to the goalscoring problems. But probably not.
The Fans Expect: They’ll accept nothing less than a title challenge. It won’t actually materialise, but Arrigo folk are a fairly sunny lot and they won’t mind all that much.
The Pundits Expect: That if Smith proves a stroke of a genius, they could honestly have a chance of challenging the capital duo and about time too; but as with last year they really could finish just about anywhere.

AFC MN Smith (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/bove.html): Oviedo (c) – Maax, McDonald, Adams, O. Moore – Keddy, Walker, Fauske, Jones – Johansson, Brightmore.
The Boardroom: Alistair Parnell (President), Lincoln Kjellin (Vice-President), Denis Martin (Director of Football)
Coach: Christopher Harvey
Nickname(s): MN Smith, the Smudgers, the Smith, the Smiths
Shirt Sponsor: Southampton Chiropractic Centre
Stadium: City of Bove Stadium, in Bove (cap. 20,568) (http://i19.tinypic.com/535z1wn.png)
Details: Oh Chris. What on earth have you got yourself in to? The former goalkeeper has left his cosy spot on Niko Mason’s backroom staff to join this bag of lunacy, and attempt to keep a squad only just the right side of asset-stripped in the top-flight. Watson’s gone, Cohen’s gone, one of the Adamses has gone, and in comes lightweight Turks’ Club reject Karl McDonald and lightweight Arrigo Portuguese reject Kirby Brightmore. They’ll concede and awful lot, score rather less than last year, and be down by the half-way stage. Bye.
On the Bench: No idea, haven’t bothered to look.
The Fans Expect: Fans? MN Smith? Since when? All Saints FC supporters have finally departed for The New Saints, while die-hard Smudgers won’t be tempted back while Parnell remains in charge. They need to go down for serious change to begin, frankly.
The Pundits Expect: There’s a complete union on this matter. The Smith have to go.

Radyukevich Clotaire Sports Club (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/clotaire.html): Kilod (c) – Krstev, Virta, Kemp, Raellis – Wolverton, Tanzani, Wilson, White – Rotherwell, Naylor.
The Boardroom: Patrick Whelehan, (Chairman), Lewis Jones (General Manager)
Coach: Turpin Jory
Nickname(s): Radyukevich, the Jukos, the lilacs, the pigmen
Shirt Sponsor: ClotaireAutos
Stadium: Hilltop Stadium, in Clotaire (cap. 31,093) (http://i3.tinypic.com/6tc9c79.png)
Details: Note the lack of italics. Perhaps it’s the credit crunch, perhaps it’s the after-effects of a lengthy court case aimed at getting their beloved marauding pigs back, perhaps it’s just an utter lack of imagination; but Jory in his first transfer window in charge hasn’t been able to get a single first-teamer through the doors – assuming he wanted to, of course. Perhaps he simply has enough confidence in the younger members of the squad to prove to his employers and the Jukos fans that he can cope with whatever is thrown at him. Not a pace-ridden side by any means, the Jukos of XXIX will take things slowly, carefully and sensibly; holding onto the ball wherever possible and allowing the increasingly impressive West Starblaydi, David Wolverton, to prove his sparkling ability.
On the Bench: Plenty of options, from Beck Ragab to Pablo López, while the youngsters will get nice short periods out on loan every now and again. Keep an eye on seventeen year-old striker Abdul Ibadulla, who could be set to follow in the increasingly distant footsteps of Mamdooh Momtaz and Yasser Zaghloul for C&M.
The Fans Expect: Something – in league finish, TQCC qualification, CMS Cup run or just pleasant football – remotely worthy of their history and fanbase.
The Pundits Expect: Mid-table development, but it could – and should – be much better than that.

Candelaria Arsenal Lavange: Moon – Pearson (c), Ytterland, Fu, Carmona – Kemp, Harouni, Ely, Cerullei – Morales, Shannon.
The Boardroom: Barry Smith (Chairman)
Coach: Trev George
Nickname(s): C.A.L, the Yellows
Shirt Sponsor: Pepper’s [Paragliding school]
Stadium: Lavange Arena, in Lavange (cap. 18,548) (http://i15.tinypic.com/6t1djkm.png)
Details: The only side in the eighteen without a foreigner on their books; that should probably spell doom for the C.A.L. But Having swept to the second division title at a canter in the end, Trev George now dominates this club from top to bottom and has opted to go big on wages for free transfers including former C&M captain Benji Fu, MarquezOW ‘keeper Seb Moon and their former forward Robbie Shannon. In an alternate reality where the TQCC started a season or two earlier, the C.A.L would be a rather wealthier outfit by now – but their squad is rich enough and, though elderly, may well have enough to pull them through. And it’ll all be very pleasant to watch, of course.
On the Bench: Some ridiculously aged players, such as thirty-eight year-old Kieron Tomlinson, are potentially available, but George will likely look instead to the tigerish little forward Max Fields if Gregorio Morales is himself deemed past it.
The Fans Expect: The heady days of finishing fourth and being top at the half-way stage are long gone, but they see themselves as the strongest of the four newcomers allegedly contesting the three relegation spots.
The Pundits Expect: That they’ll be in the melee to avoid sixteenth place, but many see them as surviving at the expense of some rather bigger names.

Caires Sports Club: Volpe (c) – Keifer, Matthews, Crochemore, Mendoza – Valinial, Flinter, Banz, Meakin – French, Kim
The Boardroom: Stan Kaleta (Chairman), Alex Kaleta (Director of Football)
Coach: Matt Sampson
Nickname(s): Caires Sports, CSC, the Knights
Shirt Sponsor: Kaleta Online
Stadium: Kaleta Online Dome, in Caires (cap. 38,838) (http://i8.tinypic.com/8ellkjd.png)
Details: An inexperienced but talented Yaforite looking for first team football, an peripatetic Han on his second CMSC club, an Eesseffian hard man… An unlikely set of foreigners joins a set of Candelariasians ranging from the familiar – Archer French, Mayo Valley winger James Meakin, Jukos centre-half Warren Crochemore – to the utterly unheard of, to create a side that may prove this years’ surprise package. In terms of final position, anyhow – their 4-1-2-1-2 adds little tactical variation to the league – but young coach Matt Sampson has shown promise and… oh, who are we kidding? They’ll look exactly the same as everyone else in this division.
On the Bench: Older players ousted by the foreigners including wide men Giles Sawilla and Tim Sutton are still about, while young Candelariasian-Yaforite Robbie Sinjinir is worth keeping an eye on.
The Fans Expect: Survival, albeit by the skin of their teeth. Finishing higher than City would be a major boon, and not at all out of the question in many fans’ eyes.
The Pundits Expect: Among the contenders for the drop, inevitably, but they could surprise one or two people and lift themselves back beyond one or two other north-east club we could mention.

McDonald Sports Club: Petit – Powell (c), Karahan, England, Plet – S. Wasilew, Rose, Guzelis, Ryan – Arnold – P. Wasilew.
The Boardroom: Chris McGovern (Chairman), Ciaran Drakos (Director of Football)
Coach: Mike Alvintzi
Nickname(s): Dons, Flying Fish
Shirt Sponsor: Yang, Yan & Ying [Restaurenteurs]
Stadium: Oakley Park Self-Catering Holidays Arena, in Saurin (cap. 16,921)
Details: C.A.L fans are seething that their title as the CMSC’s smallest club will be aprehended by McDonald SC in XXIX. With Mayo gone, Alvintzi’s side keeps up the honour of the westerly-northerly half of Candelaria to give this little, middle-class college city a taste of the big time for the first time in decades. The key man is probably young Richard Arnold, a classy second striker in behind the tireless legs of Pando Wasilew, but they’ve spent well enough in bringing in CMSC experience in the GIZ’s Martin Petit and the Spur’s Caner Karahan, as well as William Rose from Abiodun. The latter, now more defensively-minded than he once was, will give room for box-to-box midfielder Ferhat Guzelis – who could qualify for K&TT, if anyone’s making notes – but all that probably sounds more exciting than it deserves to.
On the Bench: Defender Chrissando Rockey also brings top-flight pedigree, of a fashion, while big Diamond Juracka will get games in the midfield away from home.
The Fans Expect: Not to be embarrassed.
The Pundits Expect: Not a lot. A season too soon for Alvintzi’s men, in all probability, and they’ll have to play out of their skin not to finish eighteenth.

Candelaria-Allemali FC (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/allemali.html): Mapleson – Tullier, Johnson, Wiacek, Mazzeo (c) – Parrish, Bornemann, Eriksson, Hamley – Ellis, Bradley.
The Boardroom: Patrick Flasher (Chief Executive), Tom Ramsey (Director of Football)
Coach: Paulson Gates
Nickname(s): CandelariaAM, the Shining Sons, the Mariners
Shirt Sponsor: HarryHall.cam [Online Gambling]
Stadium: Hallowfield Park (The Clifton Sausage Company Arena), in Allemali (cap. 29,876) (http://i15.tinypic.com/8ekqpmx.png)
Details: Fans and board enjoy a peaceable hate-hate relationship in the naval city’s popular club, where even the name of the stadium is a major political issue – and lest we forget that C&M’s President’s husband is a CandelariaAM season ticket holder. The vital man – or should we say boy – will be teenage second striker Presbury Ellis, but gangly front man Andrew Bradley will be expected to pick up a significant portion of the slack after his move from Turks’ Club. Other plus sides include Tate Parrish, whose presence may ensure that CandelariaAM become the wealthiest club in C&M before the year’s out, while Gates may be able to get the best out of Carroll Eriksson at last. And former C&M left back Adrian Mazzeo has a hot wife.
On the Bench: If big Sean Wiacek and laid-back Jack Johnson don’t step up to it in defence, both Lucas Scalzi and Archie Dubicki have experience, while striker Michael Sisson still has potential.
The Fans Expect: A real battle, obviously, but they reckon the momentum brought by Paulson Gates could see them through.
The Pundits Expect: That it’ll be Candelaria-Allemali versus Candelaria Arsenal for the third and final relegation spot.


CMSC2: The first time the second division has mimicked the format of the top-flight completely. The top two go up automatically, while third to sixth contest the play-offs. Bottom side automatically relegated, others up to third bottom may be involved in complex play-offs, depending on their geographical make-up.

The competitors are; Abiodun North, Albrecht Independent, Alvery Blades, Bass FC, Brayton Town, Caires FC, Castillo FC, Clube Marquez, Deportivo María, Fallon United, Ironside, Khatib FC, Maidment SC, Mayo Valley, Melin & Nader, Miranda FC, Sloane Wanderers, Swords of Bass.

Favourites: XXVIII’s relegated sides are the bookies’ favourites, but both have lost an awful lot of key men. Abiodun’s time is probably now, while the Blades and Swords have both spent impressively. Keep an eye on the Wanderers, who have a talented young coach and a spirited, largely home-grown side.

Cynergy Designs Candelarian Premier League: One half of the third division, the CDCPL consists of twelve sides playing each other three times. Promotion depends on the geographical make-up of the CMSC2, while there is one automatic relegation spot. The competitors are; Abiodun South, Alber City Wasps, Di Alfonso Phoenix, Dublynne Raiders, Hanlon Warbirds, Mount Lo, Saurin I.A., The New Saints, Warbirds Talinger, Warne Cities, Webley Stadium.

Favourites: Webley have got every chance, but the Phoenix look like having the strongest XI.

Pope’s Materials Handling Elite Championship: The other half of the third division, the PMHEC consists of twelve sides from Marquez and the Outliers, playing etcetera and so forth. The competitors are; Arrigo C.d.F., Blackwell Island, Chapon FC, Club Atlético Fasnia, Estrellas Brillantes, Fallon Town, Guerreros de Agujero, Korslund FC, Melin Professionals, Nader FC, New Taylor Road, Riverton Olympic.

Favourites: The Professionals should walk this, but Chapon impressed in the CMS Cup last year.

Samantha’s Bridal Wear Candelarian Second League: The Candelarian half of the fourth division, comprising mostly amateur clubs. The competitors are; Brodoff SC, Cleal Beck FC, Dyce FC, Exeter Trident, Hanlon Beavers, Le Thipp Judek FC, Lesperance Knights, Liverpool Knights, Lower Wessaxontown Magicians, Scruggs Picking Sharks, Thompsontown Bettians, Thoth Town SC.

Favourites: God knows.

Campeonato de la Doble Vidriera de la Élite: The fourth division for Marquez and the Outliers, bingly-bingly-bing. The competitors are; C.G.y.F.d.C.d.L.T., Chapon United, Club Atlético Lugar, Condory Bantams, Gustavo Sánchez FC, Larrataff FC, Newport Island FC, Onwere University, Pranscke Island Athletics, Robert Simpson FC, Stanley FC.

Favourites: Don’t look at me, hombre.

+1 to C&M. I loled at the throwaway line regarding my player.

Also, Newmanistan: Please pick up your players. We figured it wasn't fair for other countries to get theirs pre-world cup and to have you wait until after. Thanks.

The inaugural season of the West Zirconian National League has finally been played, after years of wrangling over every fine detail. The lure of TQCC football, with the international prestige (or humiliation) that it brings, was simply too great to resist, and the opposing factions quickly settled their differences.

From the outset, Stanley United dominated, undefeated in their first seven games before a 1-0 defeat to second-placed Taylor's Cross. The form of both teams then dipped, allowing Banks and Bradley Hornets to share the lead, and by the half-way point Banks had a three-point lead. Banks held on to the lead until the penultimate round, when the little-fancied St. Martin University surprised everyone by taking the lead.

Going into the final round of games, any of University, Banks or Bradley Hornets could have won. Hornets looked to be favourites, as their game was against Moorcroft City, who, despite being one of the pre-season favourites, were bottom of the table.
The Hornets duly beat Moorcroft City 5-2, but their joy was short-lived as they discovered that Banks' 3-3 draw with Stanley United was enough to deny them the title on goal difference.

Even more galling for Stanley was, after having lead for so much of the season, the WZFA decided that the fourth TQCC place should go to the cup-winners, rather than to fourth place.

Final table:

Pos Team________________P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Banks________________30 17 5 8 66 44 22 56
2 Bradley Hornets________30 16 8 6 65 49 16 56
3 St. Martin University____30 17 4 9 61 38 23 55
4 Stanley United_________30 14 6 10 57 48 9 48
5 St. Andrew's__________30 12 10 8 57 43 14 46
6 Bradley Swifts_________30 13 7 10 54 54 0 46
7 Taylor's Cross_________30 14 3 13 45 52 -7 45
8 New Toronto__________30 10 10 10 62 68 -6 40
9 Moorcroft Wanderers___30 11 6 13 60 61 -1 39
10 Markham_____________30 11 5 14 55 53 2 38
11 Civil Service__________30 11 3 16 49 59 -10 36
12 Houghton Kestrels_____30 9 9 12 41 55 -14 36
13 Currie_______________30 8 11 11 47 52 -5 35
14 St. Martin Athletic_____30 9 7 14 46 63 -17 34
15 West Coast Angels_____30 7 8 15 46 59 -13 29
16 Moorcroft City________30 5 10 15 53 66 -13 25

In the West Zirconian Cup, also inaugurated this season, Markham beat Houghton Kestrels 3-1 at Moorcroft City's Manchester Street Stadium. Many disappointed City supporters said it was the only decent game they had seen at Manchester Street all season.

So Banks, Bradley Hornets and St. Martin University qualify for the next TQCC, with Markham qualifying as cup winners.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w175/candelariaandmarquez/cmscxxix.png

Matchday One: Hm? Wha–? Wuh? Huh? Hm?

Well, here we all are again for the first of our all-new, all-dif… all-the-same, but thankfully shorter, matchday reports from the CMSC, where we kick off with a scoreline that should have the bookmakers beaming. Who’s going to back anyone for a 7-1 result, when all’s said and done – and never mind a victory by that scoreline for one of the newcomers.

The C.A.L wandered merrily to second division victory last year, but it was anyone’s guess what they could achieve this time. Previous seasons, after all, had seen them survive by a point, finish fourth after leading the league at the half-way stage, and being relegated by some margin. The Yellows have given the townsfolk of the small city of Lavange plenty to cheer about lately and, while hitting the heights of previous years is surely beyond them, they could still be set to be one of the teams of XXIX. Without a single foreigner in their ranks – and when the Big Blues could well be set for another Cup of Harmony campaign that’s a point worth stressing – they played some gorgeous stuff on Saturday; looking well-drilled and well-bonded despite the half dozen new players in their ranks, and always looking for the counter-attack. It was all short passing and quick movement to a degree that poured scorn on the veteran status of Seb Cerullei and Gregorio Morales, et al. Lemasson Kemp was a revelation down the right, the versatile player tireless in picking up the scraps left by Morales and Robbie Shannon: the prodigal son returning after a brief stay at, funnily enough, Gamboa FC.

Who were the C.A.L’s opposition, ‘enjoying’ a game to forget. True, the home side got off to the perfect start when the big Ma Raqui, Akram Sabzvari, making his debut completely lost track of Shannon on the first minute, the former C&M under-21 striker collecting Cerullei’s pass on the diagonal run and popping up past Lewis Piccioni on the first minute. But the C.A.L went on to enjoy the most dominating half of football seen in the CMSC for many a year – Shannon getting his second and Morales, Chris Ytterland and Cerullei adding more before Vallender Harvey finally blew the whistle.

Three half-time substitutions for the Gamboans told its own story, and the Yellows took things easy after Sargento Castelão had pulled one back on the break and Sylvain Carmona had come off worse from a tackle on Kevin Ely. Ely was lucky not to see red himself after a clash with, as it happens, his twin brother Tom Ely (you just can’t make this stuff up); the slightly younger of the pair then laying in Shannon for his hat-trick. It was the first time that a CMSC side had hit seven in the league for five seasons, and but for Normal Armstrong twice clearing off the line it could’ve been more. Even Hamzah Abdullah Harouni played well, begging the question of why Turks’ Club had been so willing to palm him off to unsuspecting Kura-Pellandi clubs for so long.

Elsewhere, as if anyone really noticed, the Albrecht clubs got off to tricky little wins. The battle of the debutant managers at the MSS ended with Asdrubal Espinoza taking three points from Christopher Harvey, but the Azuagal…ian, possibly, had emergency substitute striker Connor Tucker to thank for saving his bacon. It was a scrappy affair though, with players too keen to impress their new bosses to concentrate on the whole team thing. CandelariaAM’s return to the top-flight saw them fail to match the exploits of their near-namesakes meanwhile, though they held off Albrecht FC for a goodly long time.

Game of the weekend could easily have been Green Island versus Marquez-Onwere, who have produced some classic encounters of the years, but a new-look GIZ and lethargic MarquezOW conspired to produce a vigorous but error-strewn contest. Goalkeepers were on top with Júnior in particular pulling off a string of saves from his Cafundelense countryman Careca; and the deadlock was broken only on the eighty-eighth minute when Espy va Drake, newly installed in the world champions’ first XI, hit a low effort that bobbled past Harry Primrose’s outstretched hand.

Port of Clotaire, who with Kim Zetaback on board are the newly offensive answer to the newly circumspect GIZ, sparkled in their 3-0 win over the El din Marbles. With Lee Waywide on top form, the PoC appeared not to miss Jason Federici at all – but Cathedral City did. Over in El din, the Cats’ big-money signing barely got a sniff in their 2-0 defeat to Arrigo Portuguese in a typically full-bodied affair in which Tom Smith took the man of the match award and gave hope to boringly-named Candelariasians everywhere. You still have to wonder why the GIZ let him go.

Caleb Christmas hobbled off in that game, and was later diagnosed with a knee injury that’ll keep him out for a dozen-or-so matches. Not the best of starts, then.

Shorter? Yeah, we were only joshin’ with you about dat one.

Albrecht Turkish 3-2 AFC MN Smith (Soldarian 13, Williams 25, Tucker 78; Walker 12, M. Adams 15)
Candelaria-Allemali 0-2 Albrecht FC (Noble 67, Johnson og 90+4)
Candelaria Arsenal 7-1 Gamboa FC (Shannon 1 and 7 and 64; Abdellah og 26, Morales 29, Ytterland 31, Cerullei 44; Castelão 55)
Cathedral City 0-2 Arrigo Portuguese (Smith 37, Johansson 90+2)
Caires City 1-1 Radyukevich CSC (Varnali 57; Rotherwell 20)
Green Island 2-0 Marquez-Onwere (va Drake 88, Head 90+3)
McDonald SC 1-1 KT Hotspur (Juracka 28; Dolphin 34)
Port of Clotaire 3-0 El din Marbles (Waywide 5 and 40, Zetaback 84)
Turks’ Club 0-0 Caires Sports

Matchday Two: Pucka Tucker can’t save Turkish

A few points extra here and there, and Albrecht Turkish could’ve won the title again last year; a testament to the skill of Kris Healy to take the Millermen back to second place after a terrible start of legendary proportions. It’s very early days yet, but new man Asdrubal Espinoza may well end up having to do the same again to keep his job; after Turkish’s poor performance in a scraped victory over the Smith last week translated into defeat at home to Cathedral City.

Their near-saviour was Connor Tucker, the forward whose arrival from Mayo Valley in the off-season was greeted with a resounding “oh yes?” from fans eager to see who Samuel Taha’s actual proper replacement would be. Tucker would merely be there to replace Gerard Ronnevig after the veteran’s move upstairs – the Capitalizt star Ryan Taylor was instead the name on everyone’s lips and the backs of their XXIX edition replica shirts.

So much for that. Taylor was withdrawn to the bench for the second time already this season, and Tucker sent on to save the bacon of a flat, nothingy Turkish side. Within second of coming on he had equalised, but the against-all-odds steel shown by the Cats during their TQCC and the wounds left from their own opening day defeat saw them resist all temptation to hang on to what they had and instead plough forward; a sweeping cross from Frontenax international Eli Baker – a still-revered surname in these parts – finding Teddy Ozi-Mayer on the seventy-third minute. The Kura-Pellandi monster brought the ball down and launched a weak effort at Oberon Martinez; but the C&M No.1 could only parry the ball out to Kurt Folgueira.

The scapegoat was immediately Lance Adams, the surprise signing from MN Smith. The centre-back missed the season opener as part of his contract, and had a debut of nightmarish proportions, being constantly torn this way and that by Jason Federici. The so-called ‘future of C&M goalscoring’ had a much better game, despite not finding the back of the net, though perhaps his future now will be to scare opposition defenders witless and leave his partners the space to actually hit home.

Elsewhere, and after the unseemly brother-against-brother clashes in the C.A.L v Gamboa game last week, there was a rather more rosy love-in going on in Onwere; with the Edwards brothers delighting the away fans in the Francisco Álvarez with storming runs on and off the ball, glorious first touches and near-telepathic communication. Quite why Ryan Edwards was left out of Healy’s first C&M squad in favour of the likes of the inconsistent Jamie González and largely unknown Nathanial Stewart looks even more of a mystery after a performance like this, and MarquezOW simply had no answer to it. They’ve had a hard start, certainly, and were by no means overwhelmed by the champions, but after two 2-0 defeats Andy Woolworth’s XXVII league winners still look some way from capturing former glories. Albrecht FC meanwhile look serene.

They’re not the only two-from-two outfit, with former Scorpions man Kian Donnelly scoring his first goal for Port of Clotaire as part of the Oirish love-in up front with Lee Waywide. Despite just the one goal being in it; the game with Arrigo Portuguese was a thoroughly even, high-level clash that promises much for both sides. Matthew Tortini’s visitors could easily have taken victory, with Djabgor Cvecej hitting the bar twice late on, but the immense (sort of) Natalie Instonenext proved once again her status as the CMSC’s finest defender. The Harpies will likely lose the Zwangzugian come the end of the season, and given Tom Redway’s age it’s clear that this defensive pairing has only one last hurrah in the league. Man-for-man, it’s still hard to finger the PoC as worthy league champions, but on this form they could easily emerge as the Scorpions’ most likely challengers.

The El din Marbles got the biggest and least deserved scoreline of the day, 3-0 against Green Island. Overwhelmed in midfield, the Marbles clung on thanks to a fine showing from Aubrey Mkhonza in goal and the sure-shooting of Jamie Watson, the Scotchpine forward who remains one of the finest players in the CMSC. His partnership up front with Abdoulaye Soro, cutting in from the left to supply the Nethertopian, could be the difference for a Marbles side hardly overflowing with talent; while the GIZ will chalk this one up to a bad day at the office.

Meanwhile, KT Hotspur inched a 1-0 over Gamboa to join the C.A.L in the top four and leave the Abiodun side rooted to the bottom of the nascent (I do so love that word) table, while five more sides remained undefeated after a round of draws. The more things change, an’ all that: Radyukevich are still spectacularly blah for the money they’ve spent over recent years, while despite their all-new strike force Turks’ Club still haven’t found the back of the net.

AFC MN Smith 1-1 Candelaria Arsenal (Fauske 78; Morales 13)
Albrecht Turkish 1-2 Cathedral City (Tucker 57; Williams og 21, Folgueira 73)
Caires Sports 1-1 Radyukevich CSC (Kim 63; Rotherwell 82)
Candelaria-Allemali 0-0 Turks’ Club
El din Marbles 3-0 Green Island (Watson 64 and 83, Panama 90+1)
KT Hotspur 1-0 Gamboa FC (Tensen 37)
Marquez-Onwere 0-2 Albrecht FC (R. Edwards 58, B. Edwards 66)
McDonald SC 1-1 Caires City (P. Wasilew 45; Varnali 56)
Port of Clotaire 1-0 Arrigo Portuguese (Donnelly 11)

Matchday Three: Controversial Clotaire go clear

Three games in and we have a new leader, courtesy of a goal that should never have been, possibly, and a draw that sort of wasn’t. Whoever said that professionalism would change the nature of Candelarias football? We may be a normal little country, but my word we can be rubbish at stuff sometimes.

Though various attractive fixtures were warring for the title, the game of the weekend was always going to be in Clotaire for the Harpies’ third straight home fixture (whut?), against Green Island. Not their third straight home fixture against Green Island, obviously, that’d be like one of those remote Scottish islands where there’s only two teams and… Well, anyway, when you bear in mind that PoC had defeated the Marbles 3-0 earlier, before Carlos Panadero’s outfit had downed the GIZ by the same scoreline; Hane Davies’ men were clearly going to be on the ropes. They produced a sterling effort however, with Reiban Okeke and Stuart Vidakovic linking properly for the first time and Özkan Yalçin proving that he can remember how to be a left winger after all.

Instonenext and Redway were once again the saviours for the home side, until early in the second half when the Zwangzugian lass slid in on Espy va Drake and received her second caution of the game. A PoC side outnumbered in midfield were suddenly forced to axe Kian Donnelly and give Andrew Jordan a rare start, and that was when it all started to go right for them. Jordan started the move that led to their goal, but it was Kenan Orlovic who did the necessary running in midfield to set up Serkan Turkmen; the K&TT international laying in Nathaniel Alaoui on his run in from the right.

The speed of the attack had caught Green Island cold and, left with only Étienne de Roviere and the ‘keeper at the back, the Valerian opted to make the most of recent rules clarifications by hopping out of play behind the goal line and flinging himself to the ground in agony, thereby leaving Alaoui offside. The former C&M under-21 tucked the ball in past Júnior regardless and, much to Davies’ and de Roviere’s horror, Andrés Toluca gave the goal in direct defiance of his overlings. The CMSC have since promised to look into the niceties of matter, but everyone agrees that justice was done and anyone who doesn’t think so is a wazzok.

1-0 to the PoC then, and Albrecht FC had some catching up to do. And they didn’t. Um. Loren Meyer was primarily to blame for failing to clear Rockdale LeCass’ corner, that the El din Marbles right-back Smith Naylor nudged in past Stefan Santamaria instead. The Eesseffian isn’t the only one of her countryfolk in the CMSC to start the season slightly sloppily – one can hardly blame them after recent events in their homelands, little reported in C&M but clearly leaving a nasty aftertaste to say the least – but the rest of the Scorpions side looked a tad below par, perhaps suffering from the unaccustomed international break. Ryan Edwards bailed them out again, but the game finished 1-1.

At least they’re still undefeated, which is more than you can say for Marquez-Onwere. Three defeats, no goals scored and eighteenth in the league, the naranja aren’t playing appallingly for all that, but the inference from the first three games is clear – everyone else knows exactly how they play, even with the chopping of Okeke and arrival of Diego Sánchez, and the only exceptions to that rules are MarquezOW themselves. José Felipe Cassumba Domingos, Merlin Siriwong and Careca in particular are playing like they’ve never met each other before. Perhaps they’re skrulls. Perhaps not. Who can say?

Anyways, they lost by a single goal to Turks’ Club, who’ve found the back of the net once now and will probably shut up shop for the season from here on in. Turkish moved up to third with a far from routine 2-0 win over an actually quite-good-but-not-showing-it-via-results Arrigo Portuguese side. Three clubs besides the northern Turks remain undefeated on five points; including newcomers C.A.L after a goalless draw with Cathedral City, and McDonald Sports (are they here? I hadn’t noticed) who stormed to a 3-0 win over a thus-far disappointing Caires Sports. The Saurin outfit probably deserve more attention than they’re getting. But life’s unfair. Deal with it, biatches.

AFC MN Smith 1-0 KT Hotspur (Ireland 21)
Albrecht Turkish 2-0 Arrigo Portuguese (Reizei 57, Maini 58)
Caires City 1-2 Gamboa FC (McGuire 27; Castelão 46, Armstrong 82)
Candelaria-Allemali 1-3 Radyukevich CSC (Bornemann 73; Wilson 7, Rotherwell 61 and 66)
Candelaria Arsenal 0-0 Cathedral City
El din Marbles 1-1 Albrecht FC (Naylor 2; R. Edwards 45+2)
McDonald SC 3-0 Caires Sports (Guzelis 1, Arnold 52, Rose 79)
Port of Clotaire 1-0 Green Island (Alaoui 75)
Turks’ Club 1-0 Marquez-Onwere (Dolphin 34)

Matchday Four: The north-east battles back

The south-eastern coast of Candelaria may be the cultural and economic heart of the country, but the influence of the four big cities and their satellite towns in the north-east of the largest island cannot be understated in the early twenty-first century. The statuses of Caires and Clotaire as among the greatest ports in the region, of Khatib-Gassett and Alvery as the islands’ industrial lungs, have long since passed; in little more than a generation the former two have lost much of their gritty, working-class edge while the great ironworks and whatnot of Khatib have long since given way to dull small-parts manufacturing. The costal cities, meanwhile, have somehow managed to become the entertainment capitals of the islands, if not the region; be that status thanks to the tacky shininess of Caires or lower-middle-class chic of Clotaire. The divide between the Big Four up north has never been greater – and the social and political ramifications of that are still being felt.

Anyhoo, all this is an unnecessarily wordy way of pointing out that things are going rather better for the six – maybe even seven, if you count McDonald – north-eastern clubs in the CMSC. Not all of them won this weekend, which is slightly annoying in the interests of themed reportage – indeed Caires City still haven’t won a game after their 2-2 draw with the Smith; a pretty poor, but hardly unexpected, return for the side that finished fifth last year – but there were some key victories for those that did.

The biggest game of the weekend was clearly in Albrecht, where the top two clashed in a key contest that highlighted the Scorpions’ and Harpies’ rather differing youth policies. Albrecht FC, like many a club, have always prided themselves on bringing the youngsters through; but in the Scorpions’ case their principal aim is to create players they can use to win titles with, not sell on in order to bring in talent more suitable to the needs of the first XI. For a club with fans spread all across the islands, Rushmore and, these days, in pockets throughout the world, it’s utterly vital for Albrecht to stress their ties to their home city by featuring Cove-born kids in the first team. The big question this year was whether Andy Le Lan had simply gone too far: that whatever the capabilities of Matteo Corradini and the Edwards brothers they would simply not be able to support twenty year-old Ryan Fattori through his first full season, or that featuring Stefan Santamaria in goal was too great a risk to take.

Le Lan may well be proven correct in his personal hunch on the matter, but it was clear at the MSS that if the Scorpions are to take a second straight title they’ll need other youngsters, including Daniel Armour and Ben Zec, to pick up Fattori’s slack during his inevitable fallow periods, and for the defence to hold up despite Santamaria, not because of him. They got a point against Port of Clotaire, thanks to some poor finishing from Kian Donnelly and an extremely soft late penalty struck home by Joe Cunningham; for Port of Clotaire dominated this game from start to finish. It’s notable the age at which Amis Cressey, Nathaniel Alaoui and Tom Redway were thrown into the first team, after they’d gained experience on loan and were comfortably out of their teens. The likes of Matt La Vista, Evan Barton and Dean Dotson are being used far more sparingly by Niko Mason, despite the PoC’s smaller squad, which must surely benefit the Harpies in the long game. With a thirty-four game season to come, that tactic could prove vital for the Harpies.

You can’t get away from the fact that they’re not the best XI in the league, but the jury’s still out as to whether that honour belongs to Albrecht Turkish, who offered a slightly odd performance in Lavange, with Ryan Taylor benched in favour of Connor Tucker. Tucker scored his third of the season, and injured himself in the process, resulting in the Capitalizt international Taylor’s return to the pitch. Before the first half was out, he’d set one up for Gary Maini and scored his first for the Millermen. And then everyone went to sleep because it was wet, and spent the second half trudging around the pitch looking thoroughly miserable.

Khatib-Gassett scored a 4-0 win on aggregate; with Turks’ Club victorious at a worryingly mid-tabley El din Marbles, while the battle between the two cities was ended decisively in Rose of Sharon where KT Hotspur also beat El din opposition 2-0, but God it was grim.

While the Errant Knights had to settle for a point apiece after Pep McGuire limped off with a leg injury that looks set to keep him out for at least three game; the Knights were labouring to a goalless draw in Abiodun. Gamboa have been excessively keen to keep it tight at the back since their 7-1 opening day defeat (that really was weird, in hindsight), but hopes of a recovery following victory last weekend against Caires City were ended against Caires Sports when Paul McCann, left alone in the penalty area, brought down Archer French. In retrospect it was a pretty dumb decision, given that Mr. McCann was Gamboa’s second-choice ‘keeper, in for the injured Lewis Piccioni, and that Andrew Duffy had opted not to put another pair of gloves on the bench. Clayton Knight went between the sticks instead, let in Kim Mihyeon’s penalty kick, and was later unsurprisingly ineffectual against young sub striker Oran Baron. Gamboa will now bring in the Marbles’ Héctor Netto after being given emergency permission to do so. Bribery? Never.

Clotaire’s currently second-finest, Radyukevich, moved up to third with a 2-0 win over a truly woeful Marquez-Onwere side despite the absence of Julius Rotherwell, who was recovering from a facial injury caused by an altercation with a group of young, screaming Jukos fangirls at Francesco’s in town. That they could win without the CMSC current top scorer didn’t say too much though – what on earth is going on in Onwere?

Portuguese continued to occupy the ‘least deserved league position’ honour after a 1-0, injury-time defeat to the GIZ, while McDonald… played a game. I think.

Albrecht FC 1-1 Port of Clotaire (Cunningham 76; St. Louis og 37)
Arrigo Portuguese 0-1 Green Island (va Drake 90+2)
Caires City 2-2 AFC MN Smith (McGuire 2, Dionísio 17; Jones 4, Johansson 69)
Candelaria-Allemali 1-1 McDonald SC (Bornemann 8; Arnold 80)
Candelaria Arsenal 0-3 Albrecht Turkish (Tucker 22, Maini 31, Taylor 44)
El din Marbles 0-2 Turks’ Club (Zelzi 58, Parr 59)
Gamboa FC 0-2 Caires Sports (Kim 78, Baron 89)
KT Hotspur 2-0 Cathedral City (Milton 14, Kortsarian 20)
Radyukevich CSC 2-0 Marquez-Onwere (Douaydari og 35, Naylor 47)

Matchday Five & TQCC Latest: Prepare for the Grand Era of the Dominion of Candelaria And Marquez over the World! Mwah-ha-ha-h–oh, alright, then.

Today, the updates from a Candelariasian perspective for these two competitions have to be written in tandem; since for Marquez-Onwere and the El din Marbles they are inseparable. As for which is the more important, that should surely be a matter for the Marquezian clubs’ supporters to decide – but in the latter case at least, there can only be one answer. Finishing in the top four after the Apertura or ‘Super 17’ stage is a welcome bonus; finishing in the top two even more so. But since CMSC qualifiers cannot spend the cash windfall gained from mid-season TQCC promotion until that competition is well over; it’ll always be the odd-numbered TQCCs that can make or break a club’s finances.

Did that make any sense? Probably not, but for Carlos Panadero and the El din Marbles making the group stage and paying off debt owed for the singings of Evan Laurie, Jack Marshall and Jamie Watson was always going to be of far greater importance that the preceding league fixture against a resurgent Radyukevich. Those carrying niggling injuries – Rockdale LeCass, Smith Naylor, Watson himself – were rested, and the Marbles were duly outplayed by the Jukos. Credit Turpin Jory; who, it tentatively seems, is really starting to get things going for the slumbering Clotaire giants despite putting out a side virtually identical to that of last year, with only young defender Hansson Kemp introduced into the first team on a semi-permanent basis. Young winger Joe White was absent through injury, giving Beck Ragab a rare start; and it was clear from the off that young stand-in right-back Andrés Quirot was not up to the challenge of dealing with the galloping former Scorpion. Ragab would go on to provide the killer balls for the Demotian Julius Rotherwell to continue his marvellous second season.

The West Starblaydi, David Wolverton, added a superb solo third and, though the Nethertopian Abdoulaye Soro pulled one back (and they wonder why we don’t produce decent goalscorers in C&M… All these bloody foreigners!), the Marbles looked anything but a global force. Their supporters at the Little Road Stadium were far from impressed, though the premature booing, well-to-do braying and the waving of handkerchiefs won’t serve to do their fans’ glowing reputation any good. The little ol’ Marbles have always had the innate susceptibility to becoming a disliked clubs, what with their grossly self-assured, affluent supporters in one corner and brain-dead shanty-town dwellers in the other – and many Candelariasians could be forgiven for waiting with schadenfreude on tap for their inevitable collapse on the global scene.

It may well still happen, but not yet, as Panadero’s men squeaked into the group stages in extra time. The latest of late goals from the Scotchpine Watson sent the Marbles through to travel a step closer on the daunting road to matching their neighbours’ performance last year, but they will clearly be facing an uphill battle to do so. The Marbles’ have just one current international starter in Soro; their Vephrese opposition had none. Cafundó do Juta, on the other hand, have umpteen – not least our own Ignacio Vélez, while the Juavi Reds boast one of the world’s great forwards in Kiso Night. TQCC1 champions Yuba United don’t exactly rate highly on the also-ran stakes, either.

Marquez-Onwere’s test is little less daunting, though they at least had an easier time of it in qualifying with Careca, Merlin Siriwong and Erik Kjaer among the goals in a surprisingly simple 3-1 demolition of the Sonoma Centre (oh, Center then. If we must.) Panthers. The naranja’s revival may yet prove a false dawn – despite the 3-0 triumph against McDonald SC (who?) thanks to, um, Careca, Siriwong and Kjaer – but they’ll have a real chance to show their youthful support that they can still compete, after being drawn against reigning champions Petardos S/A as well as Acapais league winners Real Malakoff and tricky-but-beatable Ad’ihani outfit Mont-Pluie.

The CMSC and the UILC share the distinction of having all four of the stated representatives involved in the group stage. All other competing competitions have been victims of the ever-increasing level of interest in the globe’s premier club football tournament – Cafundelense outfit América will be particularly missed by Candelariasian fans after their exit – though ‘the Others’ don’t seem to have caught up so much on their wealthier so-called betters, if this evidence is to go by: of the eleven new associations sending teams, only Starblaydi legends Iskara Daii and Dancougan champions Port Royal FC have battled through from the first preliminary stage.

Albrecht FC will face the latter newcomer, though with Dunboor FC and the side that knocked the Scorpions out of their last TQCC tilt, Kura-Pellandi giants United Trilan, to come; the Dancougans will be the least of Andy Le Lan’s worries. While Albrecht are previous quarter-finalists, Albrecht Turkish have gone a step farther. The Millermen look like having the easiest group of the four CMSC sides, with the most notable battles to come being against Soldarian FC; an Eesseffian outfit with long-term connections to a certain Scott Soldarian and his family, as well as the new home of Roger Zetaback. The former Green Island man has taken part in plenty of battles with Turkish’s Eesseffian over recent times.

Both capital clubs won 2-0 in the league, though the Scorpions’ may prove more telling. Their victory away at Green Island ends for many the GIZ’s hopes of making XXIX anything more than a transitionary season, but a more pressing concern is for Albrecht who lost Ryan Edwards to injury. The talismanic young midfielder has been ruled out for the TQCC group stage and several league games to come; and the likes of Daniel Armour (whose relationship with the Champions’ Cup has never been friendly) and Lars Wiedemann are hardly adequate replacements.

Elsewhere, Port of Clotaire’s drive to the title went hiccough (so much for that theory then) when they failed to break Fedde Jeffrey and the Turks’ Club defence and instead gave up a late winner to the suddenly rather good Ishmael Dolphin (yay!). Arrigo Portuguese remained in the drop zone meanwhile, when they had their first genuinely poor performance of the season and were duly punished for it by sixth-place C.A.L.

Albrecht Turkish 2-0 KT Hotspur (Soldarian 24, Westhead 45+1)
Caires Sports 0-1 AFC MN Smith (Keddy 3)
Candelaria-Allemali 2-0 Gamboa FC (Ellis 53, Parrish 75)
Candelaria Arsenal 2-1 Arrigo Portuguese (Morales 1, Shannon 35; González 50)
Cathedral City 2-0 Caires City (Avdeev og 39, Federici 57)
Green Island 0-2 Albrecht FC (Cunningham 5, Vanderpent 33)
El din Marbles 1-3 Radyukevich CSC (Soro 80; Rotherwell 30 and 59, Wolverton 64)
McDonald SC 0-3 Marquez-Onwere (Careca 2, Siriwong 70, Kjaer 86)
Port of Clotaire 0-1 Turks’ Club (Dolphin 85)

Matchday Six and TQCC Group Stage: Ooh, y’know, actually…

The denizens of the Candelarias’ second city, Arrigo Portuguese fans almost to a man, had good reason to be cheerful over the last week (possibly) or so. That hasn’t been the case for quite some time, with the hueva having endured some pretty poor form over recent seasons since gaining promotion; and XXIX looked set to be no different. It might very well prove the case – they are only in fifteenth still, after all – but after a series of quality performances against top-class opposition ended in misery, the Portuguese travelled to the MSS expecting nothing and came away with a 2-1 win.

Those who had braved a trip to the capital saw their side fully deserve victory against an Albrecht FC outfit missing arguably their best player right now, Ryan Edwards, while the Eesseffian Loren Meyer hobbled off injured mid-way through the first half. Early in the second it didn’t look like it would make much difference, when her replacement Dominic Amah rose highest from Ryan Fattori’s corner to head in the equaliser; but a Portuguese side looking their most fluid, yet organised, in months were not to be denied and Stefan Santamaria had no answer to big Djabgor Cvecej’s powerful header from the first goalscorer Cortez Carocha’s pin-point cross. Daniel Armour then got himself a silly second booking, and Arrigo’s eleven men eased to victory.

The travelling fans went back home all smiles, and their joy was added to when the Estadio Nacional played host to a C&M side featuring seven Marquezians, who held the world champions one-all. The Big Blues might well still fail to make the World Cup finals once again, and such an occurrence could bring massive ramifications to football in these islands, starting with an unbecoming hissy fit and working up from there. Whether C&M would really deserve to qualify is another matter; but one thing that cannot be denied is that right now the CMSC is at its international zenith. The league split after Albrecht’s defeat, and the Scorpions went into Champions’ Cup group stage mode to reel off six victories.

The TQCC results from the Millerman Sheppard Stadium this cycle will go down in legend, whatever happens to the Candelariasians contingent in the knock-out stages. The Scorpions’ best victory was over the Dancougan side Port Royal, four-nil, but while that wasn’t anything more than a show of wonderfully competent football against a naïve newcomer, the three-nil drubbing of Dunboor was really something to behold. Against a forward line of massive international quality, Santamaria and his defence held out superbly against waves of attacks from the Northern Lions, while Peter Vanderpent had the beating of his almost-legendary Zwangzug team-mate Eddie Barnes throughout. Twice did he manoeuvre past Barnes and left the Kura-Pellandi Tommy Yuram-Wilson for dead to leave Joe Cunningham with little to do to finish past the Squornshelan Eetu Riihijarvi, before adding one himself.

The display against United Trilan was something altogether different; the absolute destruction of the Scorpions’ Kura-Pellandi counterparts. The Candelariasian Demario Ortiz was particularly dreadful, and it’s a remarkable fact that he managed to retain his place on the national team for the Eesseff game. Thank God he did, and the Scorpions have plenty to owe him as well. It was his own goal in Trilan that ensured Albrecht would emerge with a 100% record, the only side of the thirty-two to do so.

They outdid Turkish at least, but the Millermen also squeezed through their group in first place. The star of their group stage was Soldarian – Scott, not FC – who notched up a hat-trick in the A.Turks own 4-0 crushing of their Eesseffian opposition. Young Niv Cohen got the key goal though; the late winner against Oldbridge that ensured their elevation into the last sixteen from first position.

But we can hardly pause for breath even after that, for the El din Marbles – buoyed by a 2-1 league win over McDonald SC (who?) – pulled off quite the most remarkable results of the campaign with a 4-2 home victory over Cafundó do Juta, a 1-0 away result against the same, and the 2-0 victory over the Juavi Reds at the Little Road Stadium. Quite how Aubrey Mkhonza and the boys managed to keep the likes of Ignacio Vélez and Kiso Night from finding the back of the net is anyone’s guess; but in the final reckoning they would put out the most popular Cafundelense club in C&M and sail on through with Yuba United.

Marquez-Onwere spoiled the party somewhat, with a 3-1 win against a poor Mont-Pluie side their best result, but frankly they needed to get out of this competition sharpish. After a 1-0 league defeat at home to Gamboa, Andy Woolworth’s side are in serious trouble and need to focus on staying up, never mind getting back in the TQCC.

Make no mistake: the likelihood still is that a side from outside C&M will take the title. Raynor City, Yuba United and Petardos S/A are all superior to anything we can put out, while Ad’ihani sides have a class record in this tournament so far. But an all-Candelariasian semi-final isn’t out of the question by any means – Olympique Protectorat are beatable, if the Marbles are on their game, while Turkish could get at a sturdy Santa Rosa side. Albrecht FC meanwhile already have the beating of Dunboor (what’s up with all that, by the way), and could be our best bet for a finalist – except that the Bedistani former champions stand in their way.

All this nonsense helped detract from a sensational day of CMSC action, in which Albrecht Turkish lost the lead following a 2-0 defeat to Caires City with former Portuguese star Isaac Burridge, of all people, scoring a brace. They were replace by Port of Clotaire, who shrugged off memories of that defeat last year to smack Radyukevich 3-0. At Radyukevich.

Mm, we did the potentially hugely vital Clotaire derby last. Don’t let it be said that we think this thing through at all.

AFC MN Smith 2-2 Candelaria-Allemali (Brightmore 45+1 and 75; Parrish 3, Bornemann 33)
Albrecht FC 1-2 Arrigo Portuguese (Amah 47; Carocha 35, Cvecej 59)
Caires City 2-0 Albrecht Turkish (Burridge 40 and 53)
Candelaria Arsenal 2-0 KT Hotspur (Ely 55, Carmona 59)
Cathedral City 1-0 Caires Sports (Ozi-Mayer 71)
Marquez-Onwere 0-1 Gamboa FC (Castelão 79)
McDonald SC 1-2 El din Marbles (England 15; Watson 38, Percy 67)
Radyukevich CSC 0-3 Port of Clotaire (Dotson 17, Waywide 72, Zetaback 83)
Turks' Club 0-0 Green Island

Matchday Seven: Stuff happens

Heavens to Betsy. This fighting-on-two-fronts thingy really makes a difference, doesn’t it? There’s particularly nothing worse than being taken two different ways by the Caires clubs, as Albrecht Turkish discovered at the MSS. Credit the Knights, who gave a quality performance the likes of which we had long suspected them capable of, and in particular their foreign contingent. It wouldn’t be fair to say, in general, that Candelariasian players in the CMSC are always inferior to the flashy imports (we did just hold the world champions, after all), but this was a prime example of the value of clever scouting. Kim Mihyeon was well-known to all in the CMSC, but it was Matt Sampson who took a punt on the Han international, and it was ultimately he who asked for Ahershk Valinial to be plucked from near-obscurity at a bench-warmer at Chelmar FC, and he that was prepared to pay through the nose for Morgan Banz, knowing just how good the Eesseffian midfielder could be.

All three of those guys scored, but that was hardly the point. Caires Sports simply outplayed Turkish and, while Asdrubal Espinoza and his side clearly had other things on their mind, a stranger could not have told you which side was the title challengers and which was fighting relegation. The Knights even survived the late sending-off of Rob Volpe, though they may yet be punished if teenager Dane Vince has to stay between the sticks for the next three games.

Having the TQCC to worry about also did for the El din Marbles, who dropped into the relegation zone with defeat at Gamboa FC. No such problems for Albrecht FC, though their victory at Turks’ Club was hardly convincing. Probably no-one’s will be however, for Derek Marshall’s Turks are nothing if not tight at the back.

The Scorpions miss out on top spot only be goal difference, with Port of Clotaire maintaining their place despite being held to a draw. It was a fine performance by McDonald SC, achieved without their inspirational Wasilew brothers, and perhaps this is how the Dons can stay up; eking out a point here and there.

It was a day for upsets in general then, though can MN Smith’s win at Marquez-Onwere really be considered such when the naranja are in such dire form. If things don’t pick up, fans and the board alike may start to think the unthinkable about Andy Woolworth, the man who delivered them the title in XXVI.

Green Island versus Radyukevich may yet prove a mid-table encounter, but on this evidence the GIZ look the more likely to mount a challenge for the higher echelons than Turpin Jory’s resurgent Jukos. To be fair however, 4-1 flattered the home side and you wouldn’t rule out a bid from the lilacs just yet. Especially not in this topsy-turvy division.

Cathedral City 3-2 Candelaria-Allemali (Filmar 3 and 33, Spelman 71; Wiacek 31, Bradley 48)
Port of Clotaire 0-0 McDonald SC
Albrecht Turkish 2-3 Caires Sports (Taylor 47, Cohen 86; Kim 22, Valinial 64, Banz 79)
Green Island 4-1 Radyukevich CSC (Head 24, va Drake 45, Yalçin 45+2 and 63; Ragab 52)
Caires City 0-0 Candelaria Arsenal
Turks’ Club 1-2 Albrecht FC (Parr 30; Vanderpent 29 and 80)
Arrigo Portuguese 1-1 KT Hotspur (Belling 55; Milton 57)
Gamboa FC 2-1 El din Marbles (Dobson 55, Jones 57; Watson 61)
Marquez-Onwere 0-2 AFC MN Smith (Jones 25, Maax 90+1)

Matchday Eight: Womp-bomp-a-loom-op-a-womp-bam-boom. Possibly.

Curious things for a Green Island centre-half to scream at McDonald Sports Club striker Pando Wasilew as he hacks manically at his shin Number 345: “AAAAGH! Never! You keep away from me, you freakin’ blancmanges! You’ll never get to Russ Zapata, oh no! A-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!”

He’s only a teenager, bless him. The poor boy’s probably homesick.

Anyway, he got sent off and from then on the GIZ were up against the wall. On the stroke of half time, the elegant little second striker Richard Arnold found the gaping hole left in the visitors’ backline to equalise Espy va Drake’s opener, and former Green Island ‘keeper Martin Petit held off efforts from Stuart Vidakovic and young Tom Osbourne (in for the suspended Reiban Okeke) until the eighty-ninth minute, when he launched a long ball up to sub striker Simon Roberts (they have less interesting names in the Candelariasian lower divisions). Roberts knocked it down for little Richard, who returned the favour to help the Dons leapfrog the GIZ on goal difference.

It wouldn’t be unreasonable to say that McDonald can’t win the title – indeed you’d be downright daft to claim otherwise – but both they and Green Island are still only five points off the lead. It remains to be seen whether the big guns can pull away soon, but you wouldn’t bet against the top three, all on fifteen points, still being the stop three after the Super 17 and end of the Clausura alike. They’re having to work damn hard, mind you – witness the one-all away draws gained by Albrecht FC and Port of Clotaire.

The match between the Jukos and Scorpions was one of the finest of the season thus far, even if the goalscoring came to an end shortly before the half hour when David Wolverton collected Jackson Tanzani’s sideways pass and launched a beautiful swerving shot past Stefan Santamaria. Next season may well see Radyukevich’s breakthrough, with the likes of Wolverton, Julius Rotherwell, Hugo Krstev, Dean Wilson and so forth all in their prime, while Jackson Tanzani is really starting to live up to his potential. He may lack the runs on and off the ball of Ryan Edwards, but in the absence of their young star it was clear that Albrecht FC were secretly rueing letting Tanzani depart a couple of seasons back. Had he still been a Scorpion, you suspect they would have won this.

The Harpies were suffering withdrawal symptoms of their own, without Jason Federici. Niko Mason and the board still stand by their decision to let Cathedral City swoop for him, and the statistical evidence would back them up, but neither Kian Donnelly nor Dean Dotson worry opposition defences like Federici and the Gamboa backline failed to be punished for their shoddiness, despite Akram Sabzvari giving away the penalty slotted in be Lee Waywide. Who the hell are Ma Raque, anyway? Not that Gamboa FC can claim great Candelariasian scorers, not when C&M international Cas Richardson hasn’t found the back of the net yet this season. The top Candelarias-born forwards right this minute are Waywide, who plays for Sorthern Northland, Gregorio Morales, who’s the wrong side of thirty-five, and Robbie Shannon, who’s… well… meh, basically. And plays for C.A.L. As does Morales.

¿Whut?

The Yellows, for the record, were on the wrong side of a beating by Caires Sports; albeit thanks to a ninety-second-minute goal from a substitute defender. The victory allowed the Knight to stay a point clear of the Errant Knights, after City’s 2-0 win over KT Hotspur who, after early promise, are really spinning away again.

One suspects that the C.A.L and McDonald will feel the bite of reality soon enough, which has already got its jaws around Candelaria-Allemali. The Shining Sons were content to lose 1-0 to the world champions at the MSS, and Albrecht Turkish seemed pretty comfortable with that too. And Oberon Martinez and the rest of the defence were just happy to play in a nice, easy game, a couple of days after facing the awe-inspiring might of the FUCKING ALGAL STATES.

Marquez-Onwere won another game (that’s two now, they’ll be getting nosebleeds), against Cathedral City, while Turks’ Club and Arrigo Portuguese went out like the clappers, scored four between them before the half hour, and then wandered about for a bit to keep the Turks fourth and Portuguese fifteenth. Which is just Wrong.

Albrecht Turkish 1-0 Candelaria-Allemali (Reizei 5)
Caires City 2-0 KT Hotspur (Becchio 55, McGuire 90+3)
Candelaria Arsenal 1-2 Caires Sports (Morales 12; French 45+2, Jansson 90+2)
Gamboa FC 1-1 Port of Clotaire (Ely 49; Waywide 65)
El din Marbles 2-1 AFC MN Smith (Percy 90+4; Keddy 73, Jones 76)
Marquez-Onwere 2-1 Cathedral City (Siriwong 1, Sánchez 86; Filmar 71)
McDonald SC 2-1 Green Island (Arnold 45+1, Roberts 89; va Drake 20)
Radyukevich CSC 1-1 Albrecht FC (Wolverton 28; Vanderpent 16)
Turks’ Club 2-2 Arrigo Portuguese (Zelzi 14, Parr 21; Belling 9, Smith 29)

Matchday Nine: Jory’s still out as Turks head for the dock

This weeks ‘Way to Self-Destruct, Dudes’ award goes to Turks’ Club. They’re third. Third. How the hell did that happen? Either they’ve been very lucky or Derek Marshall is a bit of a genius; but C&M’s self-proclaimed Third-Biggest Club (although God knows what statistical evidence they base that on) might actually be in a title race now, or at least in the contest for a TQCC place, which amounts to much the same thing if you reckon that money’s what’s most important, which it probably is, even for a fan-run club like the Turks, which is pretty depressing when you think about it.

Anyhoo, they were up again a Radyukevich side in a bit of a mess, after losing Luke Naylor and David Wolverton to injury within the first ten minutes. Neither look set to miss any more playing time, but it clearly panicked Turpin Jory enough to make him through on two teenagers, who were only in Khatib-Gassett ‘cos you can have seven on the bench now. Quite what he was thinking is anyone’s guess, and the Jukos duly found themselves a goal down to the Turks’ star of the nascent season, Manuel Zelzi.

It’s a funny thing though, but introducing teens seems to work quite often in this league. Maybe it’s a novelty thing. Maybe Candelariasians are just a bit weird like that. Anyway, it’s pretty much written that Wayne Davis and Abdul Ibadulla will lose their way before they hit their mid-twenties, like so many of their countrymen before them, but for now they may just be what the Jukos need to boost them back into a top-four challenge. The pair combined to see Ibadulla score and then went on to… do very little actually, but ignore that. It spoils the story.

Anyway, Turks’ Club’s own line-leading sort-of youngster, Hague Parr, scored the winner in the second half. Only after that did the left-back Oscar Zois and playmaker Austin Lewis go on to create the biggest headlines of the weekend by getting thoroughly sloshed – which takes some skill in the Candelarias – and ending up behind bars after beating a publican round the head with a blunt object. Possibly Oscar Zois.

After their antics in Starblaydia during the fourth Di Bradini Cup, bringing these two together was clearly going to end in tears. Marshall’s genius status quickly evaporated that evening, and he now faces the prospect of losing one of his most solid defenders and elusive attackers for quite some time.

Uuuuhhh! Are you fick, or summint?

Anyway, that all detracts from far more interesting events over in Marquez, or Onwere, specifically, where Marquez-Onwere (mm-hm!) played Albrecht Turkish. A defence that had put up with all sorts from Septentrionia’s finest was punctured on the second minute by José Felipe Cassumba Domingos, but Turkish were the pressing side throughout. For the poor naranja, their total football of the past was put to the sidelines in favour of the interesting tactic of hiding behind Jack Stafador while he menaced the slightly weedy young Jewish boy on the Millermen’s right and trod on the Eesseffian’s feet, which is always amusing in any weather. And then, on sixty-two, the previously anonymous Erik Kjaer pulled in from the left and, from a stupid angle, scored a miraculous goal.

Another 2-0 defeat then leaves the A.Turks three points behind the leaders. Albrecht FC and Port of Clotaire both won at home after last week’s draws with routine victories over sides that would rather be playing fellow mid-table outfits than trying to contain Zwangzugian or Capitalizt international strikers.

The Big Game, of course, well not of course, there’s no reason why you’d know the fixtures beforehand, but anyway; was the El din derby which, in the time-honoured fashion, was a bit rubbish. I mean, not really rubbish. But a bit. It was a one-all draw, but you’d probably’ve guessed that. Oh, Evan Laurie, the Marbles defender, got a straight red for an ugly tackle on Jason Federici. But that’s pretty par for the course.

Arrigo Portuguese finally played well and got a win for their troubles, against an astonishingly meh Caires City; though seeing goalkeeper Andy Halford leave the field and ruled out for six weeks or more didn’t warm anybody’s cockles in the second city. Caires Sports’ positive little resurgence went flat on Monday at KT Hotspur. Clearly there’s still some work to be done there.

Albrecht FC 1-0 McDonald SC (Vanderpent 12)
Caires City 1-2 Arrigo Portuguese (Dionísio 90+3; Belling 3, González 86)
Candelaria Arsenal 1-1 Candelaria-Allemali (Harouni 49; Parrish 19)
Cathedral City 1-1 El din Marbles (Federici 45+2; Soro 67)
Green Island 2-0 Gamboa FC (Young 1, Osborne 74)
KT Hotspur 2-0 Caires Sports (Kortsarian 6, Gallagher 37)
Marquez-Onwere 2-0 Albrecht Turkish (Cassumba Domingos 2, Kjaer 62)
Port of Clotaire 3-0 AFC MN Smith (Donnelly 8 and 61, Zetaback 23)
Turks’ Club 2-1 Radyukevich CSC (Zelzi 25, Parr 73; Ibadulla 34)

http://www.thirdgeek.com/ns/logos/tqcc3/
The forty-one–member TQCC Selection Committee voted using an instant-runoff system to select the location of the third TakilQuip Champions’ Cup final. Their results were:

Round 1: S’jet Stadium (ACA) 12, Stade du Rivage (SPT) 10, Sokojiʼwa Gyūŋgijaŋ (UCS) 6, Angelotic Temple (ESF) 6, Arena América (CAF) 2, Obelisco Monumental (CAF) 2, Estádio Rei Albieri Van Tocco (CAF) 2, Maracatuzão (CAF) 1, Protectorate Stadium (ADN) 0
Round 2: S’jet Stadium (ACA) 12, Stade du Rivage (SPT) 10, Sokojiʼwa Gyūŋgijaŋ (UCS) 6, Angelotic Temple (ESF) 6, Arena América (CAF) 3, Estádio Rei Albieri Van Tocco (CAF) 2 (24), Obelisco Monumental (CAF) 2 (17)
Round 3: S’jet Stadium (ACA) 12, Stade du Rivage (SPT) 10, Sokojiʼwa Gyūŋgijaŋ (UCS) 6, Angelotic Temple (ESF) 6, Arena América (CAF) 4, Estádio Rei Albieri Van Tocco (CAF) 3
Round 4: S’jet Stadium (ACA) 12, Stade du Rivage (SPT) 10, Arena América (CAF) 7, Angelotic Temple (ESF) 6 (22), Sokojiʼwa Gyūŋgijaŋ (UCS) 6 (19)
Round 5: S’jet Stadium (ACA) 13, Stade du Rivage (SPT) 12, Arena América (CAF) 10, Angelotic Temple (ESF) 6
Round 6: S’jet Stadium (ACA) 15, Stade du Rivage (SPT) 14, Arena América (CAF) 12
Round 7: Stade du Rivage (SPT) 21, S’jet Stadium (ACA) 20

In an extremely close vote, Septentrionia’s Stade du Rivage was selected as the host of the final.

The Champions’ Cup administration also commissioned a new logo more befitting what has become the world’s premier club competition, scheduled dates for the next edition, and imposed a cap of eighty teams in the tournament, reducing the allocation for lower-ranked associations if needed. In practice, this means that the eleven new associations are reduced to three teams each in this edition, for a current total of seventy-nine clubs.

(OOC: The draw for the three preliminary rounds will be held on 2008–06–13, the preliminary rounds and the group stage draw on the next day, the group stage and the knockout round draw the day after, and the knockout rounds the day after.)

http://www.thirdgeek.com/ns/logos/eliteleague/

2146–2147 transfer window
Legend: Jasīʼyūn international (WC40), Capitalizt SLANI international (WC40), Sokojito and Sokojiʼwa international (OC5)

International transfers
Ryan Taylor (FC, Natestadt Nationalisten) → Albrecht Turkish (Candelaria And Marquez) for 155.0 kg Au plus clauses
Can Cetin (Albrecht Turkish) → Natestadt Nationalisten
Joel Mercado (MC, Albrecht Turkish) → Natestadt Nationalisten
James Falconer (FC, Albrecht Turkish) → Natestadt Nationalisten
ʼIm Hyi-su (GK, Ἄργος ΛΠ) → Sanghae Gukjei (Daehanjeiguk) for 50.0 kg Au
Sin Gaŋ-lim (DR, Naquada Falls Demons) → Sanghae Gukjei (Daehanjeiguk) on a free transfer
Soŋ ʼU-won (DL, South Coast United) → Sanghae Gukjei (Daehanjeiguk) on a free transfer

Domestic transfers
Charlie Edwards (DL, Jackson FC) → Lexington FC for 395.3 kg Au
Benjamin Mitchell (DC, Yuba United) → Dusanto Mojaʼikījī for 356.0 kg Au
Kristi Mars (Valanora, DL, Yuba United) → San Solari FC for 337.5 kg Au
Jo Doŋ-ā (DR, Black Oasis Athletic) → Dusanto Mojaʼikījī for 271.9 kg Au
Gi Sa-na (MC, Jamaica Giants) → Sonoma Center Panthers for 270.7 kg Au
Marlene Hudson (MR, Yuba United) → Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen for 265.7 kg Au
Hoŋ ʼIn-ju (DC, Black Oasis Athletic) → Carter FC for 262.8 kg Au
Abúndio Buëglo (FC, Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK) → High Mountain Buffalo for 242.4 kg Au
Katie Jennings (DC, Qidade Savana) → Naquada Falls Demons for 231.9 kg Au
Sūl Gyūŋ-jun (DL, Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen) → Heidelstadt Falken for 208.8 kg Au
Norma Joyner (MC, Lisda Lokado Goji Salamjī) → Yuba United for 201.5 kg Au
Gim ʼIl-hye (MR, Jamaica Giants) → San Solari FC for 198.0 kg Au
Alio Moráleso (DR, Carter FC) → Querzakhi United for 175.7 kg Au
Isidro Maqankoso (DC, New Haverford Albion) → Noka Mariners for 145.3 kg Au
Jaŋ Ju-yun (MC, Black Oasis Athletic) → Medoria Löwen for 114.6 kg Au
Çu Gu-gi (DR, Cordubovica Falcons) → Yuba United for 114.3 kg Au

League restructuring
As a result of the growing strength of League Two football, the CEL has decided to add a new single-division second tier to the league system, with the current League Two and League Three being moved down a level. The new League Two will allow for a third team to be promoted to the Élite League each season, something that would be more difficult with the two-division format. Promotion and relegation have been augmented this season to allow for the change. The new League Four will be reduced to fifteen teams per division for the 2148 season, but eighteen new teams will be elected to the Élite League by 2149.

2147 Capitalizt Élite League
Though Yuba United managed to cash in on a few of their players during the transfer window, their reinforcements turned out to be inadequate, as they failed to defend their title and slipped all the way to seventh. Medoria Löwen, promoted just three years ago from League Two, filled the void at the head of the table. SLANI’s eastern powers of Black Oasis, San Solari, and Sokojiʼwa Dosi were unimpressive in the ninth running of the league, never finding their way out of mid-table and again failing to return to the Champions’ Cup. In the final days of the league, Sonoma Center provided Yuba with a 6–0 thrashing on their way to TQCC qualification, though got a reality check of their own with an 8–2 loss to the newly-crowned champions on the very next matchday. Newly promoted Aeropag Penguins played well in their first season, and Cordubovica continued their trend of being shuttled between League One and Two.
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Medoria Löwen COM 34 24 5 5 90 49 41 77 Champions/TQCC (1)
2 Carter FC JSY 34 21 5 8 57 35 22 68 TQCC (1)
3 San Diego Iguanas COM 34 19 4 11 60 48 12 61 TQCC (3)
4 Dusanto Mojaʼikījī JSY 34 15 15 4 65 46 19 60 TQCC (3)
5 Sonoma Center Panthers COM 34 16 9 9 74 60 14 57 TQCC (4)
6 South Coast United JSY 34 16 8 10 52 44 8 56 TQCC (2)
7 Yuba United COM 34 16 5 13 45 49 -4 53 TQCC (2)
8 San Solari FC COM 34 13 10 11 52 41 11 49
9 Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK COM 34 12 10 12 58 50 8 46
10 Qidade Savana JSY 34 13 5 16 67 71 -4 44 TQCC (4)
11 Black Oasis Athletic COM 34 12 6 16 48 54 -6 42
12 High Mountain Buffalo JSY 34 12 5 17 41 44 -3 41
13 Aeropag Penguins COM 34 10 9 15 39 49 -10 39
14 New Haverford Albion JSY 34 11 5 18 40 51 -11 38
15 Heidelstadt Falken JSY 34 11 3 20 39 60 -21 36
16 Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen COM 34 9 4 21 44 79 -35 31
17 Naquada Falls Demons JSY 34 7 9 18 36 50 -14 30 Relegated to L2
18 Cordubovica Falcons COM 34 7 7 20 28 55 -27 28 Relegated to L2

Élite League Two
League Two North
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Noka Mariners JSY 34 21 9 4 54 17 37 72 Promoted to CEL
2 Sokojito Dosi Dalamjwijī JSY 34 19 11 4 46 30 16 68 Promoted to L2
3 Lexington FC JSY 34 21 4 9 71 41 30 67 Promoted to L2
4 Natestadt Nationalisten COM 34 19 9 6 32 15 17 66 Promoted to L2
5 Dawson Springs FC COM 34 14 14 6 29 18 11 56 Promoted to L2
6 Griffin Zebras JSY 34 14 10 10 51 45 6 52 Promoted to L2
7 Alexandria Porcupines JSY 34 13 11 10 25 21 4 50 Promoted to L2
8 Humai Titans JSY 34 13 11 10 42 36 6 50 Promoted to L2
9 Jamaica Giants JSY 34 14 7 13 36 37 -1 49 Promoted to L2
10 Keto Lodīlūnajī JSY 34 12 6 16 42 49 -7 42
11 KQ Sirto COM 34 12 5 17 45 60 -15 41
12 Musketiere Twintown JSY 34 9 12 13 31 36 -5 39
13 Lisda Lokado Goji Salamjī JSY 34 7 16 11 19 23 -4 37
14 Penbulg Donʼujī JSY 34 9 5 20 41 56 -15 32
15 Laniuq Explorers COM 34 7 9 18 28 44 -16 30
16 Chorion Bluffs Knights COM 34 6 11 17 28 48 -20 29 Relegated to L4
17 Navarre Town COM 34 6 10 18 28 45 -17 28 Relegated to L4
18 Accola Eagles COM 34 5 10 19 22 49 -27 25 Relegated to L4

League Two South
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Jackson FC COM 34 19 9 6 51 24 27 66 Promoted to CEL
2 KQ Nepáïire Tingitana COM 34 17 8 9 58 41 17 59 Promoted to L2
3 ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī COM 34 17 8 9 42 34 8 59 Promoted to L2
4 Ἄργος ΛΠ COM 34 15 9 10 51 33 18 54 Promoted to L2
5 Querzakhi United COM 34 14 11 9 35 26 9 53 Promoted to L2
6 Seansburgh Cougars COM 34 14 10 10 35 27 8 52 Promoted to L2
7 Syoko Poggyūggijī COM 34 13 13 8 28 19 9 52 Promoted to L2
8 Silto Dosi ʼYasāŋmajī JSY 34 14 9 11 46 40 6 51 Promoted to L2
9 New Hampton Terrapins JSY 34 14 9 11 48 42 6 51 Promoted to L2
10 Werd Beachcombers COM 34 12 14 8 30 23 7 50
11 Kitsilano Konquerors COM 34 12 6 16 31 31 0 42
12 Eintracht Maastricht JSY 34 11 8 15 53 55 -2 41
13 Jonloli Gyūlhabdwen COM 34 9 14 11 40 50 -10 41
14 Lexington Firefoxes COM 34 9 10 15 52 56 -4 37
15 St Raphael B’ing Bishops JSY 34 9 9 16 28 38 -10 36
16 Tallahassee Blues JSY 34 9 5 20 33 67 -34 32 Relegated to L4
17 RKA Warriors COM 34 8 8 18 36 63 -27 32 Relegated to L4
18 Eintracht Südtolzerio COM 34 5 10 19 20 48 -28 25 Relegated to L4

Élite League Three
League 3/A
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Ari FC COM 34 25 5 4 97 39 58 80 Promoted to L3
2 Teʼyaçu Joŋlyugijī COM 34 23 7 4 66 28 38 76 Promoted to L3
3 Nyendoli ʼYoŋjī JSY 34 21 8 5 51 18 33 71 Promoted to L3
4 Kyodoli Gyūlhabdwen JSY 34 13 10 11 46 45 1 49 Promoted to L3
5 Goʼyaŋ CK COM 34 13 9 12 40 39 1 48

League 3/B
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Graceville Salamanders JSY 34 27 5 2 77 19 58 86 Promoted to L3
2 SV Pößneck COM 34 21 10 3 66 37 29 73 Promoted to L3
3 Cambridge Pioniere COM 34 20 6 8 105 58 47 66 Promoted to L3
4 KQ Internepáïire COM 34 16 7 11 43 43 0 55 Promoted to L3
5 SV Klütz COM 34 16 7 11 49 35 14 55

League 3/C
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Forest Hill FC JSY 34 24 7 3 70 20 50 79 Promoted to L3
2 Sonoma City Volcanoes COM 34 21 8 5 109 47 62 71 Promoted to L3
3 Eastfield Rogues JSY 34 20 6 8 62 41 21 66 Promoted to L3
4 Lolestu CK COM 34 15 13 6 47 29 18 58 Promoted to L3
5 St Lawrence FC JSY 34 15 11 8 54 40 14 56

League 3/D
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Südtolzerio Kreuzfahrer JSY 34 25 5 4 77 26 51 80 Promoted to L3
2 Sūŋja Pitūs Gyūlhabdwen JSY 34 21 11 2 59 20 39 74 Promoted to L3
3 SpVgg Tolzerio COM 34 21 10 3 68 16 52 73 Promoted to L3
4 Kaiwu Mavericks JSY 34 15 10 9 54 36 18 55 Promoted to L3
5 Altera Griffins JSY 34 13 9 12 43 47 -4 48

League 3/E
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Kagoshima Phoenix COM 34 31 1 2 88 19 69 94 Promoted to L3
2 Portland Safari JSY 34 23 5 6 94 44 50 74 Promoted to L3
3 Scarab Inferno COM 34 23 5 6 95 43 52 74 Promoted to L3
4 Πόρτο-Χε Δολοφόνοι COM 34 21 9 4 56 18 38 72 Promoted to L3
5 Esto Wanderers COM 34 15 8 11 43 39 4 53

League 3/F
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Commerce Heights T’birds COM 34 27 4 3 96 32 64 85 Promoted to L3
2 Midway Wolves COM 34 24 5 5 72 29 43 77 Promoted to L3
3 Dennis Bears COM 34 22 5 7 45 22 23 71 Promoted to L3
4 Floral FC JSY 34 21 7 6 88 50 38 70 Promoted to L3
5 Columbia Sharks COM 34 15 10 9 49 44 5 55

Élite League Cup
An exciting third round to the competition had a little of everything—four all-CEL ties, a Südtolzerio derby, and early elimination for Yuba United and Medoria Löwen. League Three side Kaiwu Mavericks had a good run, knocking off San Solari before being narrowly bested by Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen. The attacking approaches of Qidade Savana and Sonoma Center seemed to self-destruct, the latter in spectacular fashion as they lost a semifinal tie by four goals to High Mountain, who took Carter FC all the way to penalty kicks before finally succumbing.
Third Round
(L2S) ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī 4–1 DCY Senagado (3/C)
(L2S) Jackson FC 6–1 Portland Safari (3/E)
(3/C) Gyogano CK 2–2 Chorion Bluffs Knights (L2N)
(CEL) Heidelstadt Falken 2–0 South Coast United (CEL)
(CEL) Aeropag Penguins 3–0 Montrin Orange (3/F)
(L2N) Penbulg Donʼujī 5–2 Elemria United (3/F)
(CEL) High Mountain Buffalo 2–2 Lexington Firefoxes (L2S)
(CEL) New Haverford Albion 1–0 Medoria Löwen (CEL)
(CEL) Yuba United 1–2 Syoko Poggyūggijī (L2S)
(3/F) Konduli Sanʼyaŋjī 2–1 NK Cracatoana (3/F)
(L2S) Eintracht Südtolzerio 0–1 Südtolzerio Kreuzfahrer (3/D)
(L2N) Musketiere Twintown 1–4 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)
(3/E) Kagoshima Phoenix 2–0 Scarab Inferno (3/E)
(L2N) Griffin Zebras 8–1 Floral FC (3/F)
(3/C) Sonoma City Volcanoes 3–2 KQ Sirto (L2N)
(3/C) DCY Normaton 0–0 SpVgg Tolzerio (3/D)
(L2S) Ἄργος ΛΠ 4–1 KQ Krotas (3/E)
(CEL) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī 4–2 RKA Warriors (L2S)
(CEL) Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK 4–0 Querzakhi United (L2S)
(3/F) Dennis Bears 4–0 SpVgg Königstadt (3/B)
(L2S) KQ Nepáïire Tingitana 2–1 Noka Mariners (L2N)
(3/B) Graceville Salamanders 1–0 Jonloli Gyūlhabdwen (L2S)
(L2N) Alexandria Porcupines 4–0 Syoko Bīlluʼwiŋjī (3/D)
(CEL) Black Oasis Athletic 0–1 Lexington FC (L2N)
(L2N) Humai Titans 1–1 Silto Dosi ʼYasāŋmajī (L2S)
(CEL) Cordubovica Falcons 0–2 Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen (CEL)
(3/D) Kaiwu Mavericks 1–1 Werd Beachcombers (L2S)
(CEL) San Solari FC 2–0 Naquada Falls Demons (CEL)
(CEL) Carter FC 5–0 New Town Red Devils (3/C)
(L2S) Eintracht Maastricht 3–5 San Diego Iguanas (CEL)
(3/F) Midway Wolves 1–1 Sokojito Dosi Dalamjwijī (L2N)
(3/F) Columbia Sharks 2–3 Qidade Savana (CEL)

Third Round Replays
(L2N) Chorion Bluffs Knights 1–0 Gyogano CK (3/C)
(L2S) Lexington Firefoxes 0–2 High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)
(3/D) SpVgg Tolzerio 5–1 DCY Normaton (3/C)
(L2S) Silto Dosi ʼYasāŋmajī 2–3 Humai Titans (L2N)
(L2S) Werd Beachcombers 1–1 Kaiwu Mavericks (3/D)
Extra time: 1–1
Penalty kicks: 2–4
(L2N) Sokojito Dosi Dalamjwijī 0–0 Midway Wolves (3/F)
Extra time: 0–1

Fourth Round
(L2S) ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī 1–0 Jackson FC (L2S)
(L2N) Chorion Bluffs Knights 3–5 Heidelstadt Falken (CEL)
(CEL) Aeropag Penguins 3–1 Penbulg Donʼujī (L2N)
(CEL) High Mountain Buffalo 2–0 New Haverford Albion (CEL)
(L2S) Syoko Poggyūggijī 3–1 Konduli Sanʼyaŋjī (3/F)
(3/D) Südtolzerio Kreuzfahrer 2–5 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)
(3/E) Kagoshima Phoenix 2–1 Griffin Zebras (L2N)
(3/C) Sonoma City Volcanoes 0–1 SpVgg Tolzerio (3/D)
(L2S) Ἄργος ΛΠ 2–4 Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (CEL)
(CEL) Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK 2–0 Dennis Bears (3/F)
(L2S) KQ Nepáïire Tingitana 1–1 Graceville Salamanders (3/B)
(L2N) Alexandria Porcupines 3–1 Lexington FC (L2N)
(L2N) Humai Titans 2–3 Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen (CEL)
(3/D) Kaiwu Mavericks 1–0 San Solari FC (CEL)
(CEL) Carter FC 1–0 San Diego Iguanas (CEL)
(3/F) Midway Wolves 3–4 Qidade Savana (CEL)

Fourth Round Replay
(3/B) Graceville Salamanders 0–2 KQ Nepáïire Tingitana (L2S)

Fifth Round
(L2S) ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī 1–1 Heidelstadt Falken (CEL)
(CEL) Aeropag Penguins 2–4 High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)
(L2S) Syoko Poggyūggijī 0–0 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)
(3/E) Kagoshima Phoenix 0–1 SpVgg Tolzerio (3/D)
(CEL) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī 3–1 Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK (CEL)
(L2S) KQ Nepáïire Tingitana 2–1 Alexandria Porcupines (L2N)
(CEL) Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen 1–0 Kaiwu Mavericks (3/D)
(CEL) Carter FC 1–1 Qidade Savana (CEL)

Fifth Round Replays
(CEL) Heidelstadt Falken 2–0 ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī (L2S)
(CEL) Sonoma Center Panthers 1–1 Syoko Poggyūggijī (L2S)
Extra time: 3–2
(CEL) Qidade Savana 1–1 Carter FC (CEL)
Extra time: 2–2
Penalty kicks: 2–4

Quarterfinals
(CEL) Heidelstadt Falken 0–1 High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)
(CEL) Sonoma Center Panthers 5–2 SpVgg Tolzerio (3/D)
(CEL) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī 0–1 KQ Nepáïire Tingitana (L2S)
(CEL) Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen 0–3 Carter FC (CEL)

Semifinals
(CEL) High Mountain Buffalo 4–0 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)
(L2S) KQ Nepáïire Tingitana 0–2 Carter FC (CEL)

Final
(CEL) High Mountain Buffalo 1–1 Carter FC (CEL)
Extra time: 1–1
Penarlty kicks: 4–5

TechConGroup Cup
Though Karela was king in the League Cup, attack reigned supreme in the TechConGroup Cup. Medoria Löwen looked sharp in their cup run, and lit up the Holmes Stadium scoreboard in the final, putting five past the Sokojiʼwa keeper to win the double.
Third Round
(L2S) Eintracht Südtolzerio 4–0 FC Glückstadt (3/B)
(L2N) KQ Sirto 0–1 Ari FC (3/A)
(3/E) SV Veernan 2–3 Accola Eagles (L2N)
(CEL) San Diego Iguanas 0–0 Natestadt Nationalisten (L2N)
Extra time: 0–0
Penalty kicks: 1–4
(CEL) Black Oasis Athletic 0–1 Seansburgh Cougars (L2S)
(L2S) Jackson FC 3–1 Navarre Town (L2N)
(3/F) Midway Wolves 0–0 SpVgg Tolzerio (3/D)
Extra time: 0–1
(L2S) Lexington Firefoxes 3–1 Laniuq Explorers (L2N)
(3/F) Commerce Heights T’birds 3–9 Medoria Löwen (CEL)
(3/C) Sonoma City Volcanoes 1–0 Πόρτο-Χε Δολοφόνοι (3/E)
(3/E) Scarab Inferno 3–1 Χίλεστ Ἐνωμένος (3/E)
(3/B) SV Pößneck 1–2 Dawson Springs FC (L2N)
(L2S) Ἄργος ΛΠ 2–1 Lolestu CK (3/C)
(3/E) SimuNation FC 2–3 KQ Nepáïire Tingitana (L2S)
(3/B) Hundon FC 4–5 Cambridge Pioniere (3/B)
(CEL) Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK 2–0 Cordubovica Falcons (CEL)
(3/B) Blauplanet Krieger 0–4 Querzakhi United (L2S)
(—) Justus Loons 0–7 RKA Warriors (L2S)
(—) KQ Qidádire Putemo 1–2 New Seoul Cougars (3/F)
(CEL) Sonoma Center Panthers 1–0 Yuba United (CEL)
(3/A) Goʼyaŋ CK 1–2 Kitsilano Konquerors (L2S)
(3/F) Χιχή Ἐνωμένος 1–1 Tigo Gyūlhabdwen (3/D)
Extra time: 3–1
(3/F) Columbia Sharks 1–3 Werd Beachcombers (L2S)
(3/B) SV Klütz 2–9 San Solari FC (CEL)
(3/E) Kagoshima Phoenix 2–2 SV Landemeine (3/D)
Extra time: 4–2
(3/B) SpVgg Königstadt 0–0 Sayle FC (3/C)
Extra time: 0–0
Penalty kicks: 1–4
(L2S) ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī 1–0 Dennis Bears (3/F)
(3/A) Teʼyaçu Joŋlyugijī 2–1 Verona FC (3/E)
(L2S) Syoko Poggyūggijī 1–1 Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen (CEL)
Extra time: 1–2
(CEL) Aeropag Penguins 4–0 Kainia Marauders (3/A)
(L2S) Jonloli Gyūlhabdwen 1–1 Chorion Bluffs Knights (L2N)
Extra time: 2–2
Penalty kicks: 2–4

Fourth Round
(L2S) Eintracht Südtolzerio 0–3 Ari FC (3/A)
(L2N) Accola Eagles 1–0 Natestadt Nationalisten (L2N)
(L2S) Seansburgh Cougars 1–0 Jackson FC (L2S)
(3/D) SpVgg Tolzerio 2–2 Lexington Firefoxes (L2S)
Extra time: 2–2
Penalty kicks: 3–5
(CEL) Medoria Löwen 3–1 Sonoma City Volcanoes (3/C)
(3/E) Scarab Inferno 0–1 Dawson Springs FC (L2N)
(L2S) Ἄργος ΛΠ 1–3 KQ Nepáïire Tingitana (L2S)
(3/B) Cambridge Pioniere 0–2 Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK (CEL)
(L2S) Querzakhi United 1–0 RKA Warriors (L2S)
(3/F) New Seoul Cougars 1–2 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)
(L2S) Kitsilano Konquerors 1–1 Χιχή Ἐνωμένος (3/F)
Extra time: 3–1
(L2S) Werd Beachcombers 0–3 San Solari FC (CEL)
(3/E) Kagoshima Phoenix 4–0 Sayle FC (3/C)
(L2S) ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī 1–0 Teʼyaçu Joŋlyugijī (3/A)
(CEL) Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen 2–3 Aeropag Penguins (CEL)

Fifth Round
(L2N) Chorion Bluffs Knights 1–1 Ari FC (3/A)
Extra time: 1–1
Penalty kicks: 0–3
(L2N) Accola Eagles 0–0 Seansburgh Cougars (L2S)
Extra time: 1–2
(L2S) Lexington Firefoxes 3–5 Medoria Löwen (CEL)
(L2N) Dawson Springs FC 2–1 KQ Nepáïire Tingitana (L2S)
(CEL) Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK 3–1 Querzakhi United (L2S)
(CEL) Sonoma Center Panthers 7–2 Kitsilano Konquerors (L2S)
(CEL) San Solari FC 4–1 Kagoshima Phoenix (3/E)
(L2S) ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī 1–0 Aeropag Penguins (CEL)

Quarterfinals
(3/A) Ari FC 1–3 Seansburgh Cougars (L2S)
(CEL) Medoria Löwen 3–0 Dawson Springs FC (L2N)
(CEL) Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK 3–2 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)
(CEL) San Solari FC 2–1 ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī (L2S)

Semifinals
(L2S) Seansburgh Cougars 2–3 Medoria Löwen (CEL)
(CEL) Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK 1–0 San Solari FC (CEL)

Final
(CEL) Medoria Löwen 5–1 Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK (CEL)

자스연 컵 (Jasīʼyūn Kūb)
Sixth Round
(CEL) New Haverford Albion 0–3 Noka Mariners (L2N)
(L2N) Noka Mariners (4) 1–0 (0) New Haverford Albion (CEL)

(L2N) Penbulg Donʼujī 2–1 Heidelstadt Falken (CEL)
(CEL) Heidelstadt Falken (5) 4–1 (3) Penbulg Donʼujī (L2N)

(3/A) Nyendoli ʼYoŋjī 2–0 KQ Lótrio (3/C)
(3/C) KQ Lótrio (1) 1–2 (4) Nyendoli ʼYoŋjī (3/A)

(L2N) Alexandria Porcupines 2–2 Naquada Falls Demons (CEL)
(CEL) Naquada Falls Demons (2) 0–1 (3) Alexandria Porcupines (L2N)

(CEL) South Coast United 1–1 Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (CEL)
(CEL) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (2) 1–2 (3) South Coast United (CEL)

(CEL) High Mountain Buffalo 1–1 Musketiere Twintown (L2N)
(L2N) Musketiere Twintown (1) 0–1 (2) High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)

(L2S) New Hampton Terrapins 2–0 Lexington FC (L2N)
(L2N) Lexington FC (1) 1–0 (2) New Hampton Terrapins (L2S)

(CEL) Qidade Savana 2–1 Carter FC (CEL)
(CEL) Carter FC (3) 2–2 (4) Qidade Savana (CEL)


Quarterfinals
(L2N) Noka Mariners 0–0 Heidelstadt Falken (CEL)
(CEL) Heidelstadt Falken (1) 1–0 (0) Noka Mariners (L2N)

(3/A) Nyendoli ʼYoŋjī 0–0 Alexandria Porcupines (L2N)
(L2N) Alexandria Porcupines (1) 1–1 (1) Nyendoli ʼYoŋjī (3/A)
Away goals: 0–1

(CEL) South Coast United 1–2 High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)
(CEL) High Mountain Buffalo (5) 3–1 (2) South Coast United (CEL)

(L2S) New Hampton Terrapins 0–1 Qidade Savana (CEL)
(CEL) Qidade Savana (1) 0–3 (3) New Hampton Terrapins (L2S)


Semifinals
(CEL) Heidelstadt Falken 3–1 Nyendoli ʼYoŋjī (3/A)
(3/A) Nyendoli ʼYoŋjī (2) 1–0 (3) Heidelstadt Falken (CEL)

(CEL) High Mountain Buffalo 1–1 New Hampton Terrapins (L2S)
(L2S) New Hampton Terrapins (1) 0–0 (1) High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)
Away goals: 1–0

Final
(CEL) Heidelstadt Falken 2–0 New Hampton Terrapins (L2S)
(L2S) New Hampton Terrapins (1) 1–1 (3) Heidelstadt Falken (CEL)

With one season in the books, the D-League prepares for Dancougar's second year of Sunday football. Looking to land foreign talent to spice up the league, teams went scouting at the Baptism of Fire only to come back mostly empty-handed. They'll hope to do better in the fall with more international action kicking off. In the meantime, Port Royal FC and Shuukyuu Kishin will represent the nation at the upcoming TakilQuip Champion's Cup, and Kishin are vying to become the nation's premier club by making the league's first marquee signing...

CF America Chuuoushi
Last Season: 13-9-12 (7/18)
Starting XI: Jason Grossman; Harry Fridell, Ben Penfold, Nathan Smolko, Louis Summerford; Jon Holmes, Quinn Mathiesen, Neil Thury, Lance Travillion; Darren Monico, Floyd Zarebski
Key Moves: none.

Stoneridge United
Last Season: 13-12-9 (6/18)
Starting XI: Jack Waverly; Noah Hathaway, Brad Leeds, Conrad Roddick, Phil Streiff; Paul Blackridge, Warren Constance, Dean Eismann, Leo Kruzel; Burt Mulrain, Tim Streater
Key Moves: none.

Grandborough FC
Last Season: 9-12-13 (14/18)
Starting XI: Alexander Silberstein; Stanley Carter, Jim Kristek, Clay Manke, Ian Roylance; Jackson Cackett, Basil Dillion, Jude Rothrock, Toshiro Sanada, Ike Troxler; Marcus Pleitez
Key Moves: none.

Yuki City Athletic
Last Season: 10-7-17 (16/18)
Starting XI: Grady Saville; Cosmin Contra* (Orion Star Empire), Lloyd Oberdick, Milan van der Horst, Tatsuhito Yanagida; Mike Corless, Nathan Meglio, Simon Rafalski, Jeffrey Sheperd; Karl Incle, Tyler Ovard
Key Moves: Looking to beef up its defense, Athletic looked at Baptism of Fire nation Orion Star Empire, signing Cosmin Contra to anchor the back line.

King's Eleven Yuki City
Last Season: 13-7-14 (11/18)
Starting XI: Jed Hoben; Carlo Lautt, Stanton Letbetter, Howard McBath; Shelton Bahn, Thomas Derringer, Lewis Gallagher, Mitchell Vespia, Darius Finster; Marshall Aldermann, Eiji Zaraki
Key Moves: none.

Port Royal FC
Last Season: 19-6-9 (1/18)
Starting XI: Anderson Price; Henry Hazelbush, Arnold Loffler, Emery Neller, DeWitt Tallman; Bob Peace, Chase Resler, Patrick Vistula, Jonah Willhelm; Roy Eisaman, Dan Potts
Key Moves: Patrick Vistula's trip to Daehanjeiguk ended in failure, but the Oxen Cup midfielder ended up with the champs upon his return home.

Eastport United
Last Season: 10-9-15 (15/18)
Starting XI: Riley Salazar; Tim Lagorio, Boyd Ory, Tetsuo Tsuruda, Kip van Brunt; August Channel, Raymond Erhart, Brian Mauldin, Kaoru Ootawara; Warren Carsdale. Arlen Warmka
Key Moves: none.

Mizuno no Juuichi
Last Season: 13-7-14 (10/18)
Starting XI: Lon McCallon; Nolan Grunow, Jordan Norwell, Kensuke Saegusa, Tomas Sartoris; Greg Manson, Richard Pederson, Jimmie Sayman, Hikaru Waya; Landon Otsman, Daisuke Tamai
Key Moves: none.

Super Dimension Ogasawara
Last Season: 11-7-16 (13/18)
Starting XI: Stan Cumbee; Louis Balas, Jacob Dermott, Saji Hijikata, Chris Princeton; Marcus Deschamps, Tad Goldermann, Keith Fronick, Orville Shenkle; Boyce Garter, Bunpei Inazuma
Key Moves: World Cup defender Chris Princeton was still on the table when Ogasawara made their sixth pick in the D-League Super Draft.

Sporting Lakeport
Last Season: 13-8-13 (9/18)
Starting XI: Ricket Ketler; Tayler Allderdice, Zachary Dudding, Lawrence Sterba; Luke Filak, Mitch Flanary, Anthony Ingram, Chuck Negrin, Robbie Skeets; Frank Strickert, Hans Aaland
Key Moves: none.

Dynamo Kalinsk
Last Season: 12-11-11 (8/18)
Starting XI: Trenton Munion; Mikhail Balalaika, Emil Hoskin, Vladimir Kostkov, Ivan Vassilov, ; Leo Dudakov, Alec Pharmer, Barry Sistek, Patrick Vistula; Alexei Federanov, Ben Wiseman
Key Moves: none.

Raymaley Athletic
Last Season: 15-10-9 (4/18)
Starting XI: Howard Plude; Nathan Daulton, Yu Honda, Eddy Kalkwarf, Jaime Western; Christian Aden, Derrick Canary, Mark Penuel, Marvin Shaddock; Melvin Dunlow, Neil Wellesley
Key Moves: none.

Port Vigilence FC
Last Season: 16-7-11 (3/18)
Starting XI: Andrew Skibo; Raymond Albarracin, Shane Auvil, Frank Clabaugh, Ryan Weitzner; John Deanne, David Hayton, Sam Lostroh, Clyde Roberson; Roman Escobedo, Joshua Nesbeth
Key Moves: none.

Sporting Kildare
Last Season: 5-17-12 (18/18)
Starting XI: Robbie Bookamer; Darrell Daughrity, Bernard Dease, Elliot Jannsen, Russell Warriner; Lyle Dylandy*, August Olding, Warren Thiele, Miles Westmoreland; Daniel Hooks, George Mayhorn
Key Moves: Needing improvement all over the field, Kildare took the best player in the draft - Lyle Dylandy, fresh off his Oxen Cup debut. Rather that test the waters overseas, Dylandy returned for another season of college ball, and was rewarded with the highest contract in the league for a homegrown player.

Coraopolis FC
Last Season: 10-6-18 (17/18)
Starting XI: Zachary Brandenburg; Troy Burlington, Ryu Saotome, Roland Twitt, Sho Yukikaze; Andrew Albrecht, Dwight Chiodo, Donald Sangren, Rod Wittekind; Rocco Merone, Yoshiaki Tamaki
Key Moves: With the Super Draft's second pick, Coraopolis chose Sho Yukikaze. While Yukikaze has only been average, his international experience made him attractive to one of the league's worst sides.

FC Takano 1983
Last Season: 11-10-13 (12/18)
Starting XI: Nick Lechman; Dorian Acosta, Derek Bonifer, Phillip Lewis, Sanjuro Hayami; Mamoru Anezaki, Corey Deutschman, Ken Matsumoto, Brandon Pratts; Sasuke Hoshino, Keith Sitosky
Key Moves: none.

Aiken City United
Last Season: 14-12-8 (5/18)
Starting XI: Haseo Kanata; Ken Bowell, Scottie Freimark, Colin Standard, Evan Weatherford; Will Arrezola, Harrison Nolde, Eric Sanke, Carson Small, Ty Ziebol; Jeffrey Cale
Key Moves: none.

Shuukyuu Kishin
Last Season: 16-9-9 (2/18)
Starting XI: Kenji Sato; Terrance Dominica, Norman Langoni, Palmer Sunier, Ed Tayler; Vince Dittmann, Ichiro Ikubo, Kazuki Midorikawa, Kondo Tanaka; Paul Dismoor, Jennifer Sloan* (Jeruselem)
Key Moves: Looking to arm themselves for a trip into the Champion's Cup, Shuukyuu Kishin broke the bank to take out a Sloan... Jennifer Sloan of Jeruselem, who, still in her early twenties, has plenty of international experience dating back to her debut at the Turtle Cup. Kishin have also made her the highest profile women's player in Dancougar, as none have yet cracked a major college roster. She'll look to serve several roles, now - martial artist, role model, and champion striker.

http://www.thirdgeek.com/ns/logos/tqcc3/
Third TakilQuip Champions’ Cup—Preliminary Rounds Draw

The following codes are used for the twenty-three associations:
ACA Acapais KTT Köse and The Turkomans
ADN Ad’ihan KPL Kura-Pelland
ALV Alversia LOV Lovisa
CAF Cafundéu NWM Newmanistan
CAM Candelaria And Marquez SPT Septentrionia
COM Capitalizt SLANI STB Starblaydia
COR Corivia TAE Taeshan
DAN Dancougar VPH Vephrall
DEM Demot WZI West Zirconia
ESF Elves Security Forces YAF Yafor 2
HAN Daehanjeiguk ZRB Zarbli
JSY Jasīʼyūn

The team listed first will play the first leg at home.

First preliminary round draw
Southport Tigers (NWM)–Wiechester FC (TAE)
Köse Büyükşehir (KTT)–Shilla FC (HAN)
Seren Union (COR)–Banks (WZI)
Leoma (ALV)–Bradley Hornets (WZI)
Markham (WZI)–Harrington FC (COR)
Shuukyuu Kishin (DAN)–Visby Quarcoo (LOV)
Lovos-Renault Atma (LOV)–Geiron FC (TAE)
Pocono City Capitals (NWM)–Hangyeong FC (HAN)
Canibals (ZRB)–Iskara Daii (STB)
Sultanlı FK (KTT)–Inter Corivia (COR)
Port Royal FC (DAN)–Newtown Abbey (ALV)
IYC Kaharan (YAF)–Hallad Reavers (STB)
SD Borland Leve (LOV)–Illesia City (ALV)
Billiard (ZRB)–Dover City Mountaineers (NWM)
FC Farça (STB)–Atlar (KTT)
Orient (ZRB)–Atlantea Hurricanes (TAE)

Second preliminary round draw
Leoma (ALV) or Bradley Hornets (WZI)–Mar Sara Flames (ESF)
Mirria United (DEM)–Canibals (ZRB) or Iskara Daii (STB)
Deportivo del Arapucera (KPL)–Shuukyuu Kishin (DAN) or Visby Quarcoo (LOV)
IYC Kaharan (YAF) or Hallad Reavers (STB)–Köse Büyükşehir (KTT) or Shilla FC (HAN)
Union d’Ourseville (SPT)–Port Royal FC (DAN) or Newtown Abbey (ALV)
Seren Union (COR) or Banks (WZI)–FE Dranacess (VPH)
IYC Uharan (YAF)–Lovos-Renault Atma (LOV) or Geiron FC (TAE)
SD Borland Leve (LOV) or Illesia City (ALV)–Oceanic United (DEM)
IYC Ajer (YAF)–Southport Tigers (NWM) or Wiechester FC (TAE)
Sultanlı FK (KTT) or Inter Corivia (COR)–Kaufman Wanderers (ACA)
Billiard (ZRB) or Dover City Mountaineers (NWM)–Stestrenas OC (VPH)
Pocono City Capitals (NWM) or Hangyeong FC (HAN)–América (CAF)
FC Grand-Glacier (SPT)–FC Farça (STB) or Atlar (KTT)
Orient (ZRB) or Atlantea Hurricanes (TAE)–Keenshire (ACA)
Prangren Greens (KPL)–Markham (WZI) or Harrington FC (COR)

Third preliminary round draw
Chelmar FC (YAF)–Dunboor FC (CAF)
Lakeside AC (ACA)–Oldbridge City (ADN)
Stithis FE (VPH)–Leoma (ALV) or Bradley Hornets (WZI) or Mar Sara Flames (ESF)
Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (JSY)–Sultanlı FK (KTT) or Inter Corivia (COR) or Kaufman Wanderers (ACA)
Juavi Reds (ESF)–Likewell Kirk (DEM)
Seren Union (COR) or Banks (WZI) or FE Dranacess (VPH)–Qidade Savana (JSY)
Sonoma Center Panthers (COM)–Marquez-Onwere (CAM)
Union d’Ourseville (SPT) or Port Royal FC (DAN) or Newtown Abbey (ALV)–Prangren Greens (KPL) or Markham (WZI) or Harrington FC (COR)
El din Marbles (CAM)–Billiard (ZRB) or Dover City Mountaineers (NWM) or Stestrenas OC (VPH)
United Trilan (KPL)–IYC Uharan (YAF) or Lovos-Renault Atma (LOV) or Geiron FC (TAE)
Pocono City Capitals (NWM) or Hangyeong FC (HAN) or América (CAF)–CS Sept-Onze Ourseville (SPT)
IYC Kaharan (YAF) or Hallad Reavers (STB) or Köse Büyükşehir (KTT) or Shilla FC (HAN)–CS Lac-Amédée (SPT)
SD Borland Leve (LOV) or Illesia City (ALV) or Oceanic United (DEM)–CF Mont-Pluie (ADN)
Mirria United (DEM) or Canibals (ZRB) or Iskara Daii (STB)–IYC Ajer (YAF) or Southport Tigers (NWM) or Wiechester FC (TAE)
Deportivo del Arapucera (KPL) or Shuukyuu Kishin (DAN) or Visby Quarcoo (LOV)–Orient (ZRB) or Atlantea Hurricanes (TAE) or Keenshire (ACA)
FC Grand-Glacier (SPT) or FC Farça (STB) or Atlar (KTT)–San Diego Iguanas (COM)


The following clubs have qualified directly for the group stage:
Medoria Löwen (COM)
Yuba United (COM)
Olympique Protectorat (ADN)
Protectorate United (ADN)
Albrecht FC (CAM)
Albrecht Turkish (CAM)
Carter FC (JSY)
South Coast United (JSY)
Cafundó do Juta (CAF)
Petardos S/A (CAF)
Raynor City Rockers (ESF)
Soldarian FC (ESF)
Santa Rosa FC (DEM)
Poikimitagiin FE (VPH)
Parwood City (KPL)
Real Malakoff (ACA)

http://www.thirdgeek.com/ns/logos/takilquippresents/
http://www.thirdgeek.com/ns/logos/tqcc3/
Third TakilQuip Champions’ Cup—Preliminary Rounds/Group Draw

First preliminary round
First leg
(NWM) Southport Tigers 3–1 Wiechester FC (TAE)
(KTT) Köse Büyükşehir 0–3 Shilla FC (HAN)
(COR) Seren Union 2–1 Banks (WZI)
(ALV) Leoma 0–0 Bradley Hornets (WZI)
(WZI) Markham 0–4 Harrington FC (COR)
(DAN) Shuukyuu Kishin 2–0 Visby Quarcoo (LOV)
(LOV) Lovos-Renault Atma 0–4 Geiron FC (TAE)
(NWM) Pocono City Capitals 0–3 Hangyeong FC (HAN)
(ZRB) Canibals 2–1 Iskara Daii (STB)
(KTT) Sultanlı FK 1–1 Inter Corivia (COR)
(DAN) Port Royal FC 2–0 Newtown Abbey (ALV)
(YAF) IYC Kaharan 4–1 Hallad Reavers (STB)
(LOV) SD Borland Leve 1–1 Illesia City (ALV)
(ZRB) Billiard 1–3 Dover City Mountaineers (NWM)
(STB) FC Farça 2–0 Atlar (KTT)
(ZRB) Orient 4–0 Atlantea Hurricanes (TAE)

Second leg
(TAE) Wiechester FC (4) 3–4 (7) Southport Tigers (NWM)
(HAN) Shilla FC (5) 2–0 (0) Köse Büyükşehir (KTT)
(WZI) Banks (1) 0–3 (5) Seren Union (COR)
(WZI) Bradley Hornets (0) 0–3 (3) Leoma (ALV)
(COR) Harrington FC (7) 3–0 (0) Markham (WZI)
(LOV) Visby Quarcoo (1) 1–0 (2) Shuukyuu Kishin (DAN)
(TAE) Geiron FC (5) 1–1 (1) Lovos-Renault Atma (LOV)
(HAN) Hangyeong FC (7) 4–3 (3) Pocono City Capitals (NWM)
(STB) Iskara Daii (2) 1–0 (2) Canibals (ZRB)
Away goals: 1–0
(COR) Inter Corivia (3) 2–0 (1) Sultanlı FK (KTT)
(ALV) Newtown Abbey (0) 0–6 (8) Port Royal FC (DAN)
(STB) Hallad Reavers (4) 3–2 (6) IYC Kaharan (YAF)
(ALV) Illesia City (2) 1–3 (4) SD Borland Leve (LOV)
(NWM) Dover City Mountaineers (5) 2–2 (3) Billiard (ZRB)
(KTT) Atlar (1) 1–3 (5) FC Farça (STB)
(TAE) Atlantea Hurricanes (0) 0–2 (6) Orient (ZRB)


Second preliminary round
First leg
(ALV) Leoma 0–1 Mar Sara Flames (ESF)
(DEM) Mirria United 1–2 Iskara Daii (STB)
(KPL) Deportivo del Arapucera 3–0 Shuukyuu Kishin (DAN)
(YAF) IYC Kaharan 1–0 Shilla FC (HAN)
(SPT) Union d’Ourseville 1–3 Port Royal FC (DAN)
(COR) Seren Union 1–3 FE Dranacess (VPH)
(YAF) IYC Uharan 0–2 Geiron FC (TAE)
(LOV) SD Borland Leve 0–1 Oceanic United (DEM)
(YAF) IYC Ajer 2–2 Southport Tigers (NWM)
(COR) Inter Corivia 0–3 Kaufman Wanderers (ACA)
(NWM) Dover City Mountaineers 1–0 Stestrenas OC (VPH)
(HAN) Hangyeong FC 1–1 América (CAF)
(SPT) FC Grand-Glacier 0–0 FC Farça (STB)
(ZRB) Orient 1–2 Keenshire (ACA)
(KPL) Prangren Greens 2–0 Harrington FC (COR)

Second leg
(ESF) Mar Sara Flames (5) 4–0 (0) Leoma (ALV)
(STB) Iskara Daii (3) 1–1 (2) Mirria United (DEM)
(DAN) Shuukyuu Kishin (3) 3–1 (4) Deportivo del Arapucera (KPL)
(HAN) Shilla FC (1) 1–2 (3) IYC Kaharan (YAF)
(DAN) Port Royal FC (4) 1–2 (3) Union d’Ourseville (SPT)
(VPH) FE Dranacess (6) 3–0 (1) Seren Union (COR)
(TAE) Geiron FC (7) 5–1 (1) IYC Uharan (YAF)
(DEM) Oceanic United (3) 2–0 (0) SD Borland Leve (LOV)
(NWM) Southport Tigers (2) 0–1 (3) IYC Ajer (YAF)
(ACA) Kaufman Wanderers (3) 0–1 (1) Inter Corivia (COR)
(VPH) Stestrenas OC (3) 3–0 (1) Dover City Mountaineers (NWM)
(CAF) América (2) 1–0 (1) Hangyeong FC (HAN)
(STB) FC Farça (1) 1–0 (0) FC Grand-Glacier (SPT)
(ACA) Keenshire (2) 0–1 (2) Orient (ZRB)
Away goals: 2–1
(COR) Harrington FC (1) 1–0 (2) Prangren Greens (KPL)


Third preliminary round
First leg
(YAF) Chelmar FC 1–1 Dunboor FC (CAF)
(ACA) Lakeside AC 1–0 Oldbridge City (ADN)
(VPH) Stithis FE 4–2 Mar Sara Flames (ESF)
(JSY) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī 2–1 Kaufman Wanderers (ACA)
(ESF) Juavi Reds 2–1 Likewell Kirk (DEM)
(VPH) FE Dranacess 0–2 Qidade Savana (JSY)
(COM) Sonoma Center Panthers 2–2 Marquez-Onwere (CAM)
(DAN) Port Royal FC 1–1 Prangren Greens (KPL)
(CAM) El din Marbles 2–1 Stestrenas OC (VPH)
(KPL) United Trilan 5–0 Geiron FC (TAE)
(CAF) América 0–2 CS Sept-Onze Ourseville (SPT)
(YAF) IYC Kaharan 2–2 CS Lac-Amédée (SPT)
(DEM) Oceanic United 0–2 CF Mont-Pluie (ADN)
(STB) Iskara Daii 0–0 IYC Ajer (YAF)
(KPL) Deportivo del Arapucera 1–1 Keenshire (ACA)
(STB) FC Farça 0–0 San Diego Iguanas (COM)

Second leg
(CAF) Dunboor FC (3) 2–0 (1) Chelmar FC (YAF)
(ADN) Oldbridge City (4) 4–0 (1) Lakeside AC (ACA)
(ESF) Mar Sara Flames (3) 1–1 (5) Stithis FE (VPH)
(ACA) Kaufman Wanderers (3) 2–0 (2) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (JSY)
(DEM) Likewell Kirk (1) 0–2 (4) Juavi Reds (ESF)
(JSY) Qidade Savana (4) 2–2 (2) FE Dranacess (VPH)
(CAM) Marquez-Onwere (5) 3–1 (3) Sonoma Center Panthers (COM)
(KPL) Prangren Greens (3) 2–2 (3) Port Royal FC (DAN)
Away goals: 1–2
(VPH) Stestrenas OC (3) 2–1 (3) El din Marbles (CAM)
Extra time: (3) 2–2 (4)
(TAE) Geiron FC (1) 1–2 (7) United Trilan (KPL)
(SPT) CS Sept-Onze Ourseville (3) 1–2 (2) América (CAF)
(SPT) CS Lac-Amédée (3) 1–1 (3) IYC Kaharan (YAF)
Away goals: 2–1
(ADN) CF Mont-Pluie (3) 1–1 (1) Oceanic United (DEM)
(YAF) IYC Ajer (1) 1–1 (1) Iskara Daii (STB)
Away goals: 0–1
(ACA) Keenshire (1) 0–1 (2) Deportivo del Arapucera (KPL)
(COM) San Diego Iguanas (2) 2–0 (0) FC Farça (STB)

Group draw
Group A
Yuba United (COM)
Juavi Reds (ESF)
Cafundó do Juta (CAF)
El din Marbles (CAM)

Group B
Petardos S/A (CAF)
Real Malakoff (ACA)
CF Mont-Pluie (ADN)
Marquez-Onwere (CAM)

Group C
Raynor City Rockers (ESF)
Carter FC (JSY)
Santa Rosa FC (DEM)
Stithis FE (VPH)

Group D
Olympique Protectorat (ADN)
Parwood City (KPL)
Medoria Löwen (COM)
CS Lac-Amédée (SPT)

Group E
Albrecht FC (CAM)
United Trilan (KPL)
Dunboor FC (CAF)
Port Royal FC (DAN)

Group F
Albrecht Turkish (CAM)
Qidade Savana (JSY)
Oldbridge City (ADN)
Soldarian FC (ESF)

Group G
Protecorate United (ADN)
Poikimitagiin FE (VPH)
San Diego Iguanas (COM)
Kaufman Wanderers (ACA)

Group H
CS Sept-Onze Ourseville (SPT)
South Coast United (JSY)
Deportivo del Arapucera (KPL)
Iskara Daii (STB)

Collegiate Sporting Alliance, 1757 season

Another spring has come and gone, and with it another season of CSA football.

Regular Season

Tier One

East Coast Conference

In a controversial decision, a CSA conference has decided to crown co-champions for the first time ever.

When the dust cleared at the end of the season, four of the conference's eight schools were tied on 13 points at the top of the table. Per CSA rules, goal difference is the first tiebreaker, leaving Solonds in fourth at +4 to the other three schools' +5. The next tiebreaker is goals scored, resulting in a third-place finish for Salle Southern (9 to the the remaining two schools' 11).

This left Southeastern and Calamen at the top, both with 13 points, a +5 goal difference, and 11 goals scored. The final tiebreaker under CSA rules is head-to-head results. Maddeningly enough, they played to a 1-1 draw in Cenany in the final match of the season.

Valid arguments were made on both sides as to why their school should be crowned champions. Southeastern had won four games in the season, compared with Calamen's three. However, Calamen (3-4-0) was undefeated while Southeastern (4-1-2) had lost twice. In the end, the ECC Board of Directors decided to award the conference championship to both schools.

As a result, the East Coast Conference forfeited its automatic bid to the national championship, which requires a single conference champion. This didn't actually matter, though, as all of the conference's top four finishers were ranked high enough to receive at-large bids.

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Southeastern 7 4 1 2 11 6 5 13 C/Q
1 (10) Calamen 7 3 4 0 11 6 5 13 C/Q
3 (9) Salle Southern 7 4 1 2 9 4 5 13 Q
4 Solonds 7 3 4 0 7 3 4 13 Q
5 North Salle 7 2 3 2 7 9 -2 9
6 Sheoron 7 1 2 4 7 12 -5 5
7 Defae 7 1 2 4 5 11 -6 5
8 Salle 7 1 1 5 7 13 -6 4

Isthmian Conference

It was a close finish in the Isthmian as well, but nowhere near that close. In the end, only one team finished undefeated and that team would go on to repeat as conference champions - BTI.

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 (6) BTI 9 6 3 0 16 3 13 21 C/Q
2 Fishbog 9 6 2 1 12 6 6 20 Q
3 Bektys Coastal 9 5 1 3 14 9 5 16
4 North Bektys 9 4 3 2 10 8 2 15
5 Bektys State 9 4 2 3 17 15 2 14
6 Scusenany 9 3 2 4 10 12 -2 11
7 South Bektys 9 2 3 4 8 11 -3 9
8 Flaarickug 9 2 1 6 6 10 -4 7
9 Isthmian 9 2 1 6 8 17 -9 7
10 Sirinis Ag 9 2 0 7 4 14 -10 6

Midland Conference

The arguments still rage on about which is the best conference in college football - the SCC or the Midland. If you measure it by number of top-ten-ranked teams, the Midland comes out on top this year. When the seventh-ranked team can't get a bid to the national championship because they finished in the bottom half of their conference, you know it's tough.

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 (2) Riestre 7 4 2 1 12 7 5 14 C/Q
2 (3) Riestre Tech 7 4 1 2 14 11 3 13 Q
3 (8) Siellal 7 3 1 3 8 9 -1 10 Q
4 Taeschand 7 2 3 2 8 6 2 9 Q
5 (7) Shentarong Tech 7 2 3 2 11 10 1 9
6 Westlake 7 3 0 4 9 11 -2 9
7 Military 7 2 2 3 7 8 -1 8
8 Riestre State 7 1 2 4 7 14 -7 5

Southern Crescent Conference

Not that the SCC is a pushover by any means, though. They have one thing the Midland doesn't - three top-five teams.

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 (4) Sumbobor State 9 5 4 0 14 7 7 19 C/Q
2 (5) Southwestern 9 4 5 0 13 8 5 17 Q
3 (1) East Point 9 4 4 1 14 8 6 16 Q
4 Shentarong 9 4 1 4 12 11 1 13 Q
5 Darnai 9 3 3 3 8 8 0 12 Q
6 Fekliir State 9 3 1 5 7 11 -4 10
7 Shentarong State 9 1 6 2 11 15 -4 9
8 Sumbobor 9 2 2 5 9 11 -2 8
9 Twin Cities 9 2 2 5 14 19 -5 8
10 Shentarong Southern 9 1 4 4 8 12 -4 7

Southwestern Conference

In the SWC, the conference championship means just a little bit more. Although it is a Tier One conference, it is noticeably weaker than the rest. As a result, every single year so far, their only representative in the national championship has been the conference champion, which receives an automatic bid. Yet the SWC is far too strong for Tier Two. Rumors abound of a potential restructuring in the not-too-distant future.

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Western Dettune 7 5 0 2 7 4 3 15 C/Q
2 Highland 7 4 1 2 10 4 6 13
3 Dettune Mtn 7 4 1 2 10 6 4 13
4 Virdys 7 3 2 2 6 6 0 11
5 Western Darnai 7 3 2 2 5 5 0 11
6 Seibeng 7 3 0 4 7 7 0 9
7 Anhenir 7 1 3 3 4 6 -2 6
8 Dettune 7 0 1 6 5 16 -11 1

Tier Two

Tier Two conferences do not receive automatic bids to the national championship. They can, in theory, receive at-large bids, but the chance of any Tier Two team being invited to the tournament is infinitesimal.

Lowland Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Speilers 8 4 3 1 12 6 6 15 C
2 Narrows 8 4 3 1 10 4 6 15
3 Bayside 8 4 1 3 8 7 1 13
4 NW Sumbobor 8 3 3 2 10 7 3 12
5 Middle Bektys 8 2 4 2 9 11 -2 10
6 Chezlot 8 2 3 3 8 11 -3 9
7 Jishmid 8 2 2 4 9 13 -4 8
8 Baseng 8 1 4 3 9 11 -2 7
9 Dettune State 8 1 3 4 6 11 -5 6

Northeast Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Northern Darnai 7 5 1 1 13 4 9 16 C
2 Till 7 4 0 3 11 8 3 12
3 Rascenass 7 3 3 1 9 7 2 12
4 Cimnersog 7 3 2 2 9 7 2 11
5 South Sirinis 7 2 2 3 9 9 0 8
6 Eastern Darnai 7 2 2 3 9 11 -2 8
7 Healfat 7 1 3 3 9 15 -6 6
8 Sirinis 7 1 1 5 6 14 -8 4

National Championship
Numbers shown are seedings, not national rankings

First Round
#1 East Point 1-0 #16 Western Dettune
#8 Salle Southern 3-3 #9 Calamen (4-4 AET, 2-4 PKs)
#5 Southwestern 3-2 #12 Solonds
#4 Sumbobor State 0-1 #13 Darnai
#6 BTI 1-2 #11 Fishbog
#3 Riestre Tech 0-2 #14 Southeastern
#7 Siellal 3-2 #10 Shentarong
#2 Riestre 1-0 #15 Taeschand

Quarterfinals
#1 East Point 2-0 #9 Calamen
#5 Southwestern 2-1 #13 Darnai
#11 Fishbog 1-3 #14 Southeastern
#7 Siellal 0-2 #2 Riestre

Semifinals
#1 East Point 1-1 #5 Southwestern (1-2 AET)
#14 Southeastern 1-2 #2 Riestre

Final
#5 Southwestern 0-2 #2 Riestre

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University Third Division playoffs

The University Third Division, which saw 16 teams from eight universities play 14 matches each in two groups in the regular season, now progresses into its playoff stage to crown the first-ever football champion university in Ad’ihan.

Any male student registered at each participating university was eligible for the team so long as they were aged between 18 and 23, and had good enough grades.

The top two teams from each group qualified for the semi-finals, but each school can only be represented once in the playoffs. This allowed Hatton College of Medicine's Group A team, which finished third in its group, to qualify for the playoffs as the second placed Stanley College's other team won its group.

University Third Division — league standings

Group A
Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Dullham Tech. Uni. A 14 6 5 3 15 14 1 23 Pl
2 Stanley College A 14 5 6 3 17 17 0 21
3 Hatton College of Med. A 14 4 8 2 19 16 3 20 Pl
4 City of Ad'ihan Univ. A 14 4 7 3 16 11 5 19
5 Tech. Inst. at Hatton A 14 5 3 6 15 16 -1 18
6 Tech. Inst. at Dalinn A 14 4 5 5 17 14 3 17
7 Flitton University A 14 3 8 3 14 15 -1 17
8 University Grand Island A 14 3 2 9 15 25 -10 11

Group B
Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Stanley College B 14 10 3 1 23 10 13 33 Pl
2 University Grand Island B 14 6 4 4 20 15 5 22 Pl
3 Dullham Tech. Uni. B 14 5 6 3 16 13 3 21
4 City of Ad'ihan Univ. B 14 6 3 5 14 13 1 21
5 Flitton University B 14 5 4 5 14 13 1 19
6 Hatton College of Med. B 14 4 6 4 16 18 -2 18
7 Tech. Inst. at Dalinn B 14 3 2 9 11 20 -9 11
8 Tech. Inst. at Hatton B 14 2 2 10 12 24 -12 8

The semi-finals, a two-legged affair, would be played at the schools' football pitches. However, in a first, the final would be held at a top-flight ground — to be rotated over the seasons with each ground hosting for two years. For season 4 and season 5, Oldbridge City's Bridge Road would play host to the two university finalists.

Semi-finals
First leg
Dullham Technological University A 2-0 University Grand Island B
Hatton College of Medicine A 2-2 Stanley College B

Second leg
University Grand Island B 1-1 Dullham Technological University A
Dullham Tech A win 3-1 on aggregate
Stanley College B 0-1 Hatton College of Medicine A
Hatton Med A win 3-2 on aggregate

Final (Bridge Road, Oldbridge)
Dullham Technological University A 0-2 Hatton College of Medicine A

In the end, a team that would normally not have qualified for the playoffs and made it in thanks to another university already having a team in the playoffs won the title. Hatton Med, as the Hatton College or Medicine is colloquially known, became the first university in Ad’ihan to be able to call themselves the champion football university.

The AFF also announced after the final that four more schools have expressed interest in joining the University Third Division for season 5. It is not known if all four will be approved, and if they are, whether the current format of two teams per university will continue.

Moorcroft City have parted company with manager Carl Makepeace after a disappointing season which saw a traditionally strong club finish at the foot of the table. The only surprise among the City faithful was that Makepeace had survived so long, given the way in which chairman Richard Bonner usually treats his managers. One of Makepeace's predecessors, Chris Irwin (now at Taylor's Cross) was dismissed even before his side had played a match, after a dispute with Bonner over team selection. Despite the temperament of the chairman, the vacancy has seen considerable interest from top managers in West Zirconia and beyond.

Another club seeking a new manager is Currie, after the retirement of Ken Walker. Walker had served the game for forty-six years, first as a left-winger with Currie (seven years), Moorcroft City (two years) and Bradley Swifts (three years). After the end of his playing career, he managed Houghton Hawks for six years before returning to his home-town club, where he served as manager for an astonishing twenty-eight years. His son Peter, who joined the club as his father's assistant three years ago, is favourite to take up the mantle, but chairman Howard Nelson has insisted that any applicants would be given a fair hearing, and that emotion will have no part to play in the appointment.

The go-ahead has been given for a new 16-team Second Division for the National League. The ten teams that missed out on inclusion into the inaugural National League (Houghton Hawks, East Snaith, Stanley Athletic, Crompton Town, Felton Athletic, Anderton Town, Anderton United, Moorcroft University, Combined Armed Forces and Mort Park) will be automatically included, and will be joined by six others yet to be confirmed.

http://www.thirdgeek.com/ns/logos/tqcc3/
Third TakilQuip Champions’ Cup—Group Stage/Knockout Round Draw

Group A
Group A P W D L GF GA GD Pts Yub EdM CdJ Jua
1 Yuba United COM 6 4 2 0 12 4 +8 14 — 3–0 2–1 2–1
2 El din Marbles CAM 6 3 1 2 8 9 −1 10 0–3 — 4–2 2–0
3 Cafundó do Juta CAF 6 2 1 3 7 9 −2 7 1–1 0–1 — 1–0
4 Juavi Reds ESF 6 0 2 4 4 9 −5 2 1–1 1–1 1–2 —

Group B
Group B P W D L GF GA GD Pts PSA RMa M-O MPl
1 Petardos S/A CAF 6 5 0 1 14 3 +11 15 — 2–0 2–0 2–0
2 Real Malakoff ACA 6 4 1 1 11 7 +4 13 2–1 — 2–0 2–1
3 Marquez-Onwere CAM 6 1 1 4 5 12 −7 4 1–4 1–3 — 0–0
4 CF Mont-Pluie ADN 6 0 2 4 4 12 −8 2 0–3 2–2 1–3 —

Group C
Group C P W D L GF GA GD Pts Ray SRo Sti Crt
1 Raynor City Rockers ESF 6 5 1 0 10 3 +7 16 — 2–2 1–0 1–0
2 Santa Rosa FC DEM 6 3 2 1 10 7 +3 11 0–2 — 2–1 3–1
3 Stithis FE VPH 6 1 2 3 4 7 −3 5 0–2 1–1 — 1–0
4 Carter FC JSY 6 0 1 5 3 10 −7 1 1–2 0–2 1–1 —

Group D
Group D P W D L GF GA GD Pts OPr Med Par L-A
1 Olympique Protectorat ADN 6 4 2 0 11 3 +8 14 — 1–1 3–1 2–0
2 Medoria Löwen COM 6 2 1 3 7 8 −1 7* 0–2 — 1–0 4–1
3 Parwood City KPL 6 2 1 3 5 7 −2 7* 0–2 1–0 — 2–0
4 CS Lac-Amédée SPT 6 1 2 3 6 11 −5 5 1–1 3–1 1–1 —
* head-to-head results equal; Medoria Löwen ahead on GD

Group E
Group E P W D L GF GA GD Pts Alb Dun PRo Tri
1 Albrecht FC CAM 6 6 0 0 17 4 +13 18 — 3–0 4–0 4–1
2 Dunboor FC CAF 6 2 1 3 5 7 −2 7 1–2 — 2–0 0–0
3 Port Royal FC DAN 6 2 0 4 6 12 −6 6 1–2 1–0 — 3–1
4 United Trilan KPL 6 1 1 4 7 12 −5 4 1–2 1–2 3–1 —

Group F
Group F P W D L GF GA GD Pts AlT Sav Sol Old
1 Albrecht Turkish CAM 6 4 0 2 12 6 +6 12* — 3–1 4–0 1–0
2 Qidade Savana JSY 6 4 0 2 11 9 +2 12* 2–1 — 3–1 2–1
3 Soldarian FC ESF 6 2 1 3 6 11 −5 7 1–2 3–2 — 0–0
4 Oldbridge City ADN 6 1 1 4 3 6 −3 4 2–1 0–1 0–1 —
* Albrecht Turkish ahead on head-to-head results

Group G
Group G P W D L GF GA GD Pts PrU SDI Poi Kau
1 Protectorate United ADN 6 3 2 1 11 5 +6 11 — 3–0 1–0 3–0
2 San Diego Iguanas COM 6 3 1 2 9 8 +1 10 1–0 — 2–3 3–1
3 Poikimitagiin FE VPH 6 2 1 3 9 12 −3 7 3–3 0–2 — 3–2
4 Kaufman Wanderers ACA 6 1 2 3 7 11 −4 5 1–1 1–1 2–0 —

Group H
Group H P W D L GF GA GD Pts SCU S-O DdA Isk
1 South Coast United JSY 6 4 1 1 13 7 +6 13 — 1–1 2–0 3–1
2 CS Sept-Onze Ourseville SPT 6 3 2 1 9 5 +4 11 1–3 — 1–0 2–1
3 Deportivo del Arapucera KPL 6 2 2 2 7 8 −1 8 4–3 0–0 — 1–0
4 Iskara Daii STB 6 0 1 5 4 13 −9 1 0–1 0–4 2–2 —

First knockout round draw
CS Sept-Onze Ourseville (SPT)–South Coast United (JSY)
Qidade Savana (JSY)–Yuba United (COM)
Medoria Löwen (COM)–Raynor City Rockers (ESF)
Dunboor FC (CAF)–Albrecht FC (CAM)
Santa Rosa FC (DEM)–Albrecht Turkish (CAM)
Real Malakoff (ACA)–Petardos S/A (CAF)
El din Marbles (CAM)–Olympique Protectorat (ADN)
San Diego Iguanas (COM)–Protectorate United (ADN)

Quarterfinal draw
CS Sept-Onze Ourseville (SPT) or South Coast United (JSY)–San Diego Iguanas (COM) or Protectorate United (ADN)
El din Marbles (CAM) or Olympique Protectorat (ADN)–Santa Rosa FC (DEM) or Albrecht Turkish (CAM)
Qidade Savana (JSY) or Yuba United (COM)–Dunboor FC (CAF) or Albrecht FC (CAM)
Medoria Löwen (COM) or Raynor City Rockers (ESF)–Real Malakoff (ACA) or Petardos S/A (CAF)

Semifinal draw
winner quarterfinal 1–winner quarterfinal 4
winner quarterfinal 3–winner quarterfinal 2

Final draw
winner semifinal 2–winner semifinal 1 (@ Stade du Rivage, Ourseville, Septentrionia)

http://www.thirdgeek.com/ns/logos/tqcc3/
Third TakilQuip Champions’ Cup—Knockout Stages

First knockout round
First leg
(SPT) CS Sept-Onze Ourseville 1–1 South Coast United (JSY)
(JSY) Qidade Savana 2–1 Yuba United (COM)
(COM) Medoria Löwen 0–2 Raynor City Rockers (ESF)
(CAF) Dunboor FC 4–1 Albrecht FC (CAM)
(DEM) Santa Rosa FC 0–1 Albrecht Turkish (CAM)
(ACA) Real Malakoff 0–1 Petardos S/A (CAF)
(CAM) El din Marbles 1–3 Olympique Protectorat (ADN)
(COM) San Diego Iguanas 2–1 Protectorate United (ADN)

Second leg
(JSY) South Coast United (2) 1–1 (2) CS Sept-Onze Ourseville (SPT)
Extra time: (2) 1–1 (2)
Penalty kicks: 1–3
(COM) Yuba United (4) 3–0 (2) Qidade Savana (JSY)
(ESF) Raynor City Rockers (6) 4–0 (0) Medoria Löwen (COM)
(CAM) Albrecht FC (3) 2–1 (5) Dunboor FC (CAF)
(CAM) Albrecht Turkish (4) 3–0 (0) Santa Rosa FC (DEM)
(CAF) Petardos S/A (7) 6–1 (1) Real Malakoff (ACA)
(ADN) Olympique Protectorat (4) 1–3 (4) El din Marbles (CAM)
Extra time: (5) 2–3 (4)
(ADN) Protectorate United (2) 1–0 (2) San Diego Iguanas (COM)
Away goals: 1–0

Quarterfinals
First leg
(SPT) CS Sept-Onze Ourseville 0–1 Protectorate United (ADN)
(ADN) Olympique Protectorat 1–1 Albrecht Turkish (CAM)
(COM) Yuba United 1–0 Dunboor FC (CAF)
(ESF) Raynor City Rockers 0–1 Petardos S/A (CAF)

Second leg
(ADN) Protectorate United (2) 1–2 (2) CS Sept-Onze Ourseville (SPT)
Away goals: 1–2
(CAM) Albrecht Turkish (1) 0–0 (1) Olympique Protectorat (ADN)
Away goals: 1–0
(CAF) Dunboor FC (0) 0–1 (2) Yuba United (COM)
(CAF) Petardos S/A (3) 2–1 (1) Raynor City Rockers (ESF)

Semifinals
First leg
(SPT) CS Sept-Onze Ourseville 0–0 Petardos S/A (CAF)
(COM) Yuba United 1–1 Albrecht Turkish (CAM)

Second leg
(CAF) Petardos S/A (1) 1–1 (1) CS Sept-Onze Ourseville (SPT)
Away goals: 0–1
(CAM) Albrecht Turkish (2) 1–1 (2) Yuba United (COM)
Extra time: (3) 2–1 (2)

Final
@ Stade du Rivage, Ourseville, Septentrionia
(CAM) Albrecht Turkish 2–0 CS Sept-Onze Ourseville (SPT)

Albrecht Turkish wins the TakilQuip Champions’ Cup!

Entries for the fourth edition (to be held after WC41) are open, with each association allowed to send up to four clubs. Bids to host the final are also open, with each participating association allowed to submit one or more stadia with capacities of at least 60 000.

The current league and club coëfficients are available at http://www.thirdgeek.com/ns/tqcc/coefficients/3/ (http://www.thirdgeek.com/ns/tqcc/coefficients/3/).

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Sport>Football
Turkish Delight! (oh come on, we had no choice)
Millermen on top of the world after besting local heroes
Scenes of jubilation light up capital

By Morgan Fattori

The players, officials and supporters of Albrecht Turkish Football Club can celebrate their status as the best club side on the globe – at least for a few months – after emerging victorious in Ourseville, Septentrionia. It was nothing if not the closest of contests, with ninety percent of the sixty-six thousand supporters at the Stade du Rivage looking to cheer their own beloved CS Sept-Onze Ourseville on to what would have been a sensational victory; but the A.Turks’ back line – drawn almost entirely from the C&M national team – held strong long enough for Niv Cohen and Ryan Taylor to ensure hero status forever, and deliver Turkish arguably the most prestigious trophy in their long history, the Champions’ Cup.

In the time following the 12/5 terror attacks on Albrecht, the A.Turks’ local rivals have had cause for celebration after Albrecht FC took the CMSC XXVIII title. Last night it was the turn of the suburbs and outer boroughs, with Hoxton in particular grinding to a halt as fans paraded cardboard cups and waved giant flags from cars, buses and bicycles alike throughout the evening and into the small hours. The City Council abandoned all hopes of maintaining the curfew in place since the bombings across huge swathes of the city, while fireworks emanating from the Millerman Sheppard Stadium punctuated the sky. Quite what non-football fans must have thought was occurring is a salient thought, but A.Turks supports will be forgiven by all but the most churlish for their exuberance. The capital needed this.

There had been a strange air of inevitability about the Candelariasian effort in this tournament, the third TakilQuip Champions’ Cup, ever since the CMSC matched only the Ad’ihani UILC in having all four of their representatives qualify for the group stage. The Capitalizt Élite League could claim more, thanks to the unique relationship between the two football associations involved, but when split into their constituent parts only the SLANI could match C&M’s three sides in the knock-out stages.

Of our three contenders, Albrecht FC looked the most likely to break through for the CMSC after their one-hundred percent run in the group stage, but in the third and fourth rematch with Cafundelense giants Dunboor FC the quality of their opponents – and the absence through injury of starlet Ryan Edwards – finally told with the Scorpions suffering a four-one defeat at the Maracatuzão from which recovery was nothing if not improbable. The El din Marbles, bidding to match their city rivals’ heroics in the previous cup by reaching the semi-finals, also came up short against previous finalists from Ad’ihan; but Carlos Panadero’s side came so very close to pulling off one of the great comebacks when they matched their three-one defeat from the first leg away at Olympique Protectorat. The Nethertopian Abdoulaye Soro scored the goal that took them into extra-time, before they too exited at the hands of the Ad’ihani champions.

Turkish’s progression was rather more sedate, having been drawn against one of the knock-out stages weaker outfits, the Demotian champions Santa Rosa FC. They were still second best away from home, but a single penalty strike from the Capitalizt forward Taylor proved a sufficient base to defend at the MSS, and Asdrubal Espinoza’s went on to ease to a three-nil victory. That was poor warning for the drama that was to follow, with Turkish flying the flag for C&M in the quarter-finals against Olympique Protectorat once more. On this occasion, a late header from defender Steven Williams proved the difference, with the Millermen taking a hardly deserved one-all draw back to the MSS and holding on for a goalless scoreline.

Espinoza, an Aguazal native, has had little time to mould his team in his own image since arriving at Turkish from MUFN side 12 de noviembre – just seven league fixtures before the final, alongside the TQCC games themselves. His players are not in truth his own, but rather those of Kris Healy, who has since departed for the C&M national team, but Espinoza ensured that Turkish would go a step further than Healy ever managed by taking them all the way to the final. In came by the slimmest of margins after two classic encounters against Yuba United; and fitting it was that after two one-all draws it was Taylor who supplied the extra-time winner to knock-out his “country”men and send his new employers through to Ourseville.

Sept-Onze, the Septentronie champions, had if anything an even more fairy tale route to the final, having finished second in their group after a three-one home defeat to South Coast United of the Jayesswhy. By chance they were drawn to face them again, and relied in the end on penalty kicks to take them threw after two tied games. Defeat to Protectorate United looked set to end their hopes of a dream final, but a victory in Ad’ihani put them through on away goals, and they would similarly rely on that against the reigning champions and competition favourites Petardos S/A, a single goal in Lasft proving all the difference.

There can be no arguments that they were not the favourites, playing in front of their own supporters against a side with an inexperienced manager. And certainly, Sept-Onze were the better outfit early on, only narrowly failing to take the lead on the tenth minute when Roland Bouchard gave Lance Adams the slip but ultimately shot tamely at Oberon Martinez. The Millermen produced a defensive display that will warm the cockles of every C&M fan, with Harris Dixon and Ciaran Kelly pressing their claims to return to the Big Blues’ first XI. Espinoza was content to see his side soak up the pressure in a hostile atmosphere, and only Scott Soldarian went close for the visiting outfit in the first half.

In the second however the CMSC side came into their own, and on sixty minutes got a lucky break when young midfielder Cohen, having received a pass from Dixon and cut inside, launched a cross into the box. William Benoît headed away, but only straight back into Cohen’s path, and the summer signing from MN Smith ignored the claims of Gary Maini to fire in a shot himself, which sailed far over the keeper’s head and into the top left-hand corner.

It was quite a way for the twenty year-old to announce himself to an international audience, and left the home side on the back foot. As Sept-Onze pressed forward for the equaliser, some quick movement caught them out decisively; Williams finding Cohen on the edge of the box, who passed back to the Fujisawan, Hirokazu Reizei, who teed up a shot but was charged down by Benoît. The ball fell for Maini however, who beat the left-back and laid-in Taylor to finish comfortably.

Cue the delirious celebrations, and Martinez went on to earn his winner’s medal in goal by producing a string of saves as Turkish clung on. Those fans in the Stade du Rivage attempted to stay as reserved as possible while the locals trudged back home, but there were no such niceties in C&M, and Albrecht in particular.

“Esto es apenas absolutamente maravilloso; los chavales hicieron todos lo que habría podido pedir de ellos, y me encantan simplemente para el club, los partidarios y la ciudad,” Espinoza enthused after the game, showing an excellent grasp of Candelarias Spanish. His players were quick to put their victory down to him, though most were also keen to emphasise the impact made by the departed Healy. The C&M boss was not present in Ourseville, preferring to remain in Abiodun to prepare for the simple, nailed-on qualifying drubbing of the Algal States, but was quickly on the phone to the senior Candelariasian players after the game to offer his congratulations.

The team will return home tomorrow, with the ACC having given special dispensation for the club to parade the trophy through the capital and its surrounding environs. President Morton is expected to congratulate Espinoza and his team in person later in the day. Where the A.Turks go from here is a matter for another time, though it is very clear now that as a result of taking the trophy they are richer as a club to the tune of some CMR£50 million. Espinoza cannot look to spend this, of course, until after the fourth TQCC, and Robert Gilbert and the board may look elsewhere to invest their windfall. A new stadium is a possibility, with many fans still dissatisfied with groundsharing with Albrecht FC and playing outside of Hoxton, and a new sixty-thousand-plus-seater arena is by no means out of the question.

The CMSC could also find themselves with something of a headache when the XXIX season reaches the close of its Apertura stage and the Candelariasians candidates for the fourth TQCC must be supplied. Albrecht Turkish are assured of being the first pick, it has been confirmed, but given that after seven games they sit only fifth in the league, this could cause major problems – particularly if a wealthy side such as Albrecht FC or Cathedral City were forced to make way for the Champions’ Cup champions.

For now however, fans care little for such issues. For a short time, Albrecht Turkish are the internationally-recognised “best” club in the world.

We’ll never hear the end of it.

Italicized players are foreign.

LIDYT Offseason Preview

Chelmar FC:
Manager: Darivan Varrios.
Current Lineup: Kanga; Rapa, Lockdale, Riegan, Accursas, and Rocha; Terwilliger, Juhan, and Nahanor; Sharma, and Dariegan.
Description: The champions four years in a row bring with them a very tough mandate - to continue winning. Their strike force looked lethal in the LIDYT season, with Rohit Sharma breaking scoring record after scoring record. Their defense is as it always is - the best in the league. Riegan has become a marshal at the back and the two-time LIDYT Defender of the Year heads a small group who have solidified together. Chelmar's side also bring with them a ton of depth, as Thian Maelor and Agora'an Nivor are both former national teamers, Zaren is an Aleosi national teamer, and Danny Eleifo almost a Kura-Pellandi national teamer. On the left side of the midfield Terwilliger is aging rapidly and in the center Juhan has become the prototypical defensive midfielder and no longer can control the center of the field. Varrios has a bit of work to do with his championship squad.

IYC Ajer:
Manager: Jumer Havas.
Current Lineup: Sidan; Cuoran, Wiat, and Havas; Vanadrin, Sebard, Deguela, Valdaan, Pupori, and Ruck; Dragonhand.
Description: Having some of the top midfielders in the entire football/soccer world can be a good thing at times. However, as for IYC Ajer, when you have four playmakers in the middle of the field, there's really not much room for success and, indeed, Ajer had trouble getting started. Individually, these midfielders are all excellent players but, the partnership between Deguela and Sebard notwithstanding, in the last year of his contract, Jumer Havas needs to let this midfield find its place. The defense is somewhat improved - Havas' insistence to play his son Abel on the right side doesn't do him any good, and up front Dragonhand has been disappointing. It's good for this team that they're in talks with a goalscorer of the level of Mika d'Angiel, because if they'll need him, if they can sort out the problems in the midfield.

IYC Uharan:
Manager: Taris Helaton.
Current Lineup: Divanlir; Va'ask, Nahorian, Delacortu, Vanorilin, and Kariid; Ago'il, Tze-shu, Kiranar, and Aldunya; Torino.
Description: The defense is strong - the products of the heavily invested Uharan youth system are beginning to manifest themselves, as an entirely homegrown defense that can match up with many of the other leading teams in the world. In the center of the midfield Starblaydian wonderkid Wen Tze-shu and Yaforite phenom Maharta Kiranar have grown up on the same team and work excellently well together. Expensive Starblaydian striker Rafael Torino is aging, but he can still put the ball into the back of the net, something most Yaforites tend to struggle at. IYC Uharan's major problem comes along the wings, where Ago'il and Aldunya age, look tired and their passing abilities look sub-par. An improvement on this front and IYC Uharan could be the best team in the league.

IYC Kaharan:
Manager: Keron Alhrem
Current Lineup: Gafernad; Varanias, Nashi'in, Tashkir, Acurivan, and Daans, Kirac, Arda, Éverton and Gunes; Valanar.
Description: Kaharan bring an interesting mix of players to the table. Following their breakout season two seasons ago, they have vastly improved their weakest part of the field, their midfield, and added a high-profile striker. Their defense is a product of their rebuilding efforts for seasons, as it brings a series of future Yaforite internationals to the table. The midfield is contains three Kosenic players and an experienced Cafundelese center midfielder, all of whom continue to mature, while the towering Valanar, up top, can certainly score. In the net, Pahal Gafernad is simply becoming better and better. The weak point for Kaharan continues to be experience - once this team finally comes together, they should have enough talent to make a serious run at the LIDYT title and, perhaps even continue their fine international form.

Cardarel FC:
Manager: T'ask Vantircor
Current Lineup: Baduun; Akliir, Agoritan, Boley, Nasheru, and Vidanel; Fraten, Totez, and Alakur; Meleherat and Insfield.
Description: The two national team strikers both play for Cardarel FC but, beyond those two players and Valanoran superstar midfielder Jamichel Totez, it is a miracle that Cardarel FC continues to stay afloat. They need upgrades everywhere - from a defense led by thirty-seven year-old former international Thia Boley to a pair of wingers who had their glory days when Hares Dalermo was still captain - this team needs help. So far, Vantircor has not looked like the man interested in upgrading his team - despite a certain improvement in finances, he has not gone abroad and spend a lot of money, which he needs to do, if he will stay competitive. This offseason, Cardarel face a tough decision - whether to continue with their vastly old staff, or to sell one of their three superstars and begin to rebuild.

IYC Hadaris:
Manager: Harolan Moares.
Current Lineup: Ave; Fram, Tascarnin, Bolan, Varatris, and Guilliani; Simon, Underwood, and Dashkir, Davidson, and Kaliokis.
Description: The clever signing of Dancougar international Kevin Underwood might just be the straw that propels lurking Hadaris into the ranks of the elite. The smaller club from Chelmar has consistently managed to hold an upper mid-table position with relative ease, due to intelligent play from the skilled wingers and a fairly well-ranked strike force and defense. Underwood gives them a strong center midfielder with a desire to play and international experience, both invaluable things that will hopefully, for the supporters of the second club from the city of Chelmar, catapult them into higher ranks. The days of money troubles are over for fans of Hadaris, who may be in for an attacking treat from a possible surprise competitor. A couple of random Bazalonians round out the team, who do look pretty good, to be honest.

Ramen United:
Manager: Isilvarnon Moraedenshar.
Current Lineup: Tavistan; Kultia, Sabirnan, Kalinkir, and Suborna; Tarisk and Labadria; Sarvic, T'saris, and Doranel; Amhartu.
Description: And here we go again - Moraedenshar takes a team of people who nobody has ever heard of and thrusts them together in some unorthodox formation (this time a 4-2-3-1 - yeah, it's unorthodox for the five-defender-standard LIDYT). Sarvic remains the only foreigner on the staff, but that isn't to say that he might not add another - preferably in the attacking midfield somewhere. With the massive sales of Maird Lavan and Klientar Loverado to Cafundeu (different clubs, but still lots of cash), the defensive midfield is Tarisk and Labadria - but they're both products of Moraedenshar's ingenuity, so I imagine they're good. Still, a Kiera FC castoff and some youngster from Kaharan are not typically the types one would expect to lead a team of this quality.

Kiera FC:
Manager: Maroshk Y'vanlis.
Current Lineup: Kane; Simodran, Ta'han, Valgaav, Patriin, and V'niraas; T'san, Knead, and Aliin; Perri and Nero.
Description: Y'vanlis takes over a team that has basically been the same team for some time - they start off strong (mostly due to the attacking power of the Aleosite national team starting duo), continue in a fairly average fashion, and then fall flat on their faces by the end of the sixty-six game season. So far the past two seasons have simply been evidence of the grand collapse of Kiera FC. For Y'vanlis to upgrade his team, he needs to not only improve his wingbacks, his outside midfielders, and his overall fitness, but he also needs to upgrade the attitude of the lineup - people like Marish Patriin seem bent on only complaining. For Kiera FC to succeed in the LIDYT in the future, they need more than skill, and Y'vanlis has been unable to let his players draw this from him.

IYC Odarian:
Manager: Hierna Klienta
Current Lineup: Kolukernin; Klienta, Valleha, Bora, Ta'hisk, and Gobern; F'tal, Galastíel, and Siberna; Num, and Tirak.
Description: An Odarian squad without Valdaan isn't always the daunting type of squad one expects. However, the transition from the Yaforite-rare 4-4-2 to a standard 5-3-2, due to Valdaan's departure is softened a bit by the fact that Klienta's son, Vashil Klienta, is a right defender and the Aleosite Valleha can play the middle as well. Macabean striker Tíer Num is a fairly prolific goal-scorer up front, but it will be up to him and the other attacking players to pick up the slack from Khadric Valdaan's departure. Odarian continues to be a fairly solid team, but, to maintain a mid-table level of performance, they need to get another attacking player and perhaps some defense as well. Otherwise, Odarian's fans may be in for a let-down after some recent successes in the past few seasons.

IYC Tucorin:
Manager: Korast Ytern.
Current Lineup: Gameris; Renda, Falledin, Makuris, Malaad, and Voriad; Simerno, Vanderhak, and L'kash; Alma, and Vidanel.
Description: IYC Tucorin have had mixed results while following virtually the same lineup. That's not to say that this lineup doesn't have holes - in goal, Gameris is a wall, but the defense itself looks disorganized and confused for the majority of the time. At left wing, Simerno is the largest weakness in this lineup talent-wise, which is saying a lot. Tucorin have the unfortunate reputation of being a team with a large number of possibly talented players, but also without the ability to convert that into success. Former international Korast Ytern is the new manager and he looks to change that around and perhaps bring even a TQCC spot to the city of Tucorin.

IYC Darigeris:
Manager: Abul Hamer
Current Lineup: V'har; T'sakur, Abriio, Terch, Puya'a, and Albiol; Nastel, Civarnu, and Balánt; Guerp, and Zerch.
Description: The second club from the city of Cardarel has been the club that has most benefited from the disappearance of Macabean football during the War of Golden Succession. Cardarel is a center of trade where people from countries such as The Macabees come to Yafor 2 and it has been a center of refugees from such countries. As such, the vast number of players on the IYC Darigeris are either Macabeans playing in the LIDYT or Macabeans who have given up their citizenship of The Macabees to become Yaforite citizens. The addition of Amhertus Civarnu solidifies the center of this midfield and, with it, Darigeris will be looking to possibly improve on their mid-table finish of last season by, perhaps, even doing a little better this year. Many of Darigeris' expatriate Macabean fans can only hope.

Ajer FC:
Manager: Ikorat Federof.
Current Lineup: Aluman; Toradis, Ter'hav, Nolakur, A'meric, and Jadur; Y'paris, Cavi'tar, and Margolis; Wíersbra, and Mashal.
Description: So here goes nothing, one supposes. Former national teamer Ikorat Federof takes over an Ajer FC side full of players who grew up during the glory days of the club, instead of playing for the club during those aforementioned glory days. Three Macabeans add some flavor to a side that really has very little going for it, beyond the obvious fact that it is in the nation's largest city, it has a lot of fans, it is still in tremendous amounts of debt - oh, and it has been force to share the majestic Zydrakos Dome with the upstart club IYC Ajer. Yes, Ajer FC is very far from being at the top of the footballing world, like it once was, and with this squad of youngsters, veterans, and altogether-boring players, it will continue to stay far from there. The harshest of the pundits are condemning the great club to the terrible fate of relegation, while some, more intelligent ones, perhaps, are instead pointing out that it will most likely have trouble staying afloat. Yeah, those are the polite ones talking.

Ajer United
Manager: Mafar Dadanel.
Current Lineup: Mashtiik; Linkaan, Vaduun, Díabalis, T'sher, and Vardanel; Daví, Caturnya, and Malakan; Gabaer and Ya'haan.
Description: Every tone one looks at this club, one wonders what exactly happened to the other major club from Ajer. Once they were at the same level as their arch-rivals, now, well, they still are. Ajer FC have the excuse (well, if it is an excuse) of having the worst financial history/skills of any club in existence. What excuse does Ajer United have? Well, not much, beyond a history of very bad buys of very old players. Pretty much what's currently happening to Cardarel FC happened to them some time back. Same problem, no investment in their youth system. Nonetheless, there they are, some nice chunks are here (Kordanin Ya'haan's got some amount of skill at striker, which might present United with some amount of money in the future), but don't expect miracles from this club. Expect them to, still, keep pace with their rivals.

IYC Vanan:
Manager: Ian Felsenfeld
Current Lineup: T'sael; Vagadur, Mastik, Doranvi, and Hamerdi'in; S'daris, Díelnok, and Vagendur; S'bar, Talakur, and J'dankor.
Description: To be honest, I don't think anyone expected a Zwangzugian to be the next manager of a struggling club like IYC Vanan, but, somehow, here we are, and Vanan are going along the rather un-Yaforite route of a slightly attacking formation (a 4-3-3). The funny part (or, at least, the part that some people find funny) is that fact that he's doing it with a team that's almost entirely Yaforite players. That's not to say that he has a terrible team - by any stretch of the imagination, that's not true. IYC Vanan's problems have come from the fact that they can't seem to find the formation that fits them, not that they aren't good. Perhaps the experienced Felsenfeld, an integral part of Chelmar FC's championship run not very long ago, will have exactly what they are looking for, though, to be honest again, I don't think they have the skill to rise anywhere beyond mid-table. That's better than relegation, though!

Real Alumno:
Manager: Macias Galtan.
Current Lineup: Sadiin; Masik, Dorad, Vanticor, Talabendro, and Mahertis; T'snamri, Jodan, Goredur, and Kalishk; Galtan.
Description: So, Real Alumno, known as "the club of one man", finally dispense of the illusion of having some random person in charge of the club, they actually make the man who runs it, striker Macias Galtan, take control of the helm, officially, I mean. He's always been in control of the club realistically. He's a bit of a character - all of that "I won't play on the national team because they aren't good enough for me" stuff hasn't exactly endeared him to fans - if anyone beyond him had any say on the state of the club, they'd see that fewer fans are coming, less money is pouring in, and all the rest. Well. Truthfully, the only place that this club can possibly be headed is down to a division below - Galtan can score/save all the goals he wants, but that won't stop this team from becoming a lower-level team. Yeah. I'd be willing to bet money on this team being eliminated. Not that Macias cares - with his massive contract and all.

IYC Caralian:
Manager: Joran Michal
Current Lineup: Subodnir; Darengis, Matural, Sidan, Tryrsi; and Ajskoui; Rfa'an, Polondi'in, Mijak, and Simad; Hulshoun.
Description: The one good thing about consistently having a team that, quality-wise, is considered far worse than the opposition week in and week out is that every game is played with that same intensity of a team that has nothing to lose. Which is pretty much the truth. This team is very often outclassed on the field, but they're improving every season that they manage to stay afloat, and that's a good thing. Michal, with his no-nonsense, hands-down, business-only attitude has managed to make it so that this team really does survive every season. It's not a pretty way to live, but it is a way to live, and I'm really impressed with how this team has done. They won't go anywhere near mid-table, but they won't be eliminated. Or, at least, they'll play with some fire and make some games pretty interesting.

Uharan FC:
Manager: Csamri Vadenkur.
Current Lineup: Tsorvadi; Doranciran, Makur, Dorendar, Jagad, and Vajer; Najan, Civas, and Morgenta; Jugaan and Orgad.
Description: It's somewhat difficult to conjure up a description for a club that nobody really cares about, but I'll give it a whirl. Every season this club struggles mightily to avoid relegation, and every year, this club comes very, very close to it. And yet, somehow, this club avoids relegation every single time. It isn't because of the skill of the players on this team, because I know firsthand that that's really not something that this team posses. It might be the ability of the manager, though I seriously doubt that - his parole officers might have a doubt or two about his managerial ability. Yeah. I'm not entirely sure what to write about for this club - which might be a contributing factor to the fact that no one follows them, if that makes any sense.

IYC J'kar:
Manager:

[OOC: I'll keep working on this for the rest of the week and hopefully finish. Then transfer season, then another one of these previews. Aren't you guys just SO excited? *wink*]

Matchday One: Back we go, then

Shutout wins for the Cupcake Cup finalists and draws for everyone else, including most notably 12 de noviembre and Spenson Suburbia. Who wound up tied in the Apertura. Which is still weird.

Anyhow, including the Cupcake Cup, the Ciudagua lot appear firmly in possession of the streak. Wayne Crumbliss scored first this time around, followed by a thundering Donato Casales header. Blah.

Arlington City build on their momentum, with Melissa Prine and Miles Wishon scoring in a solid defeat of Trecelunas FC. Namiri Forest scored three, which really is weird, for the first time since the first game of the first season, when they were playing guess who. The Pumas lost the match in the midfield, from where Namiri scored all their goals: Manish Patel, Zoe McQuoid, and Ahmed Ghebregergish with a goal each.

The Rovers came to Ciudad Peralta, and goals followed, or stuck around, or wound up there somehow. Like six of them though. Increasingly decent Muus Jurin headed home two on either side of continually more-than-decent Adalberto Molina's, and that was all in the first half. Jonas Henke scored after Patricio Olmos, and Cayetano Pinzón tied it up for the 3-3 final.

Matchday Two: We would have had a nice little pattern...

Only Arlington City had to go and score goals. Honestly, who do they think they are?

Um. Prine again, and then Wesley Ridder unobtrusively headed it in in like the eighty-ninth minute. Trecelunas FC-12 de noviembre...aw, again? Apolinar Vargas scored, anyhow, as did Casales.

Curtis Naluk struck first in Rovers-Namiri, but the latter came back through Patel and Kimiran Yahakov. Jurin scored after halftime, though, and despite Namiri Forest's efforts, three in one game is ridiculous enough one a season. Consecutive games? Nah.

Not so, of course, for Deportivo Peralta. Quite how San Pablo matched them goal for goal is possible cause for concern, with Gabriel Vega's pair of goals swiftly following Molina's, and Goyo Macías' preceding Pinzón's, but whaddaya do?

Matchday Three: What, if anything, is "normal"?

We're not particularly keen on words like that over here. Not that the...shall we say more foreign elements of the multiverse are necessarily welcomed in an oversized bear hug. But still, conformity isn't our thing.

But scores like these aren't really what one might call news. Arlington City put three past San Pablo, Namiri Forest shut out Spenson Suburbia, Trecelunas FC draw 1-1, Rovers United win...against 12 de noviembre...which is more commonplace than it should be...

Oh, it's the first Apertura repeat day of season two. That explains that.

At any rate, the hosts took the lead in Ciudagua through Quique Aiza before Henke tied it up and Naluk scored after halftime. Rosendo Cabrera scored, left, and Pinzón finally converted one of too many completely errant shots. Ghebregergish set up Yahakov and added one of his own later. Arlington City had fun with their punching bags, each of the forwards scoring.

At this rate they don't even need quotation marks.

Matchday Four: Surely not this?

Well, it's another repeat day...but this one? Honestly? The Pumas putting three past 12 de noviembre? Oh, that's right, the latter stopped being like good and stuff. Equally-skilled-on-paper Deportivo Peralta-playing at home-failing to beat Spenson Suburbia? Arlington City, at the rate they were going, conceding a goal?

We could start with that match, then, as it's somewhat likely to matter. Over in the good old FTC, Natasha Keller set up Jurin for a thirty-sixth minute goal, whereas Chip Noonan (we hadn't mentioned either of those midfielders yet? Hmm.) passed to Ridder for one in the fifty-fourth.

Namiri Forest and Trecelunas FC's goals both came in the first half hour, by way of Yahakov and Elian Lobo. Then it lived up to its billing as the most defensive match around, which is fine, if you like that sort of thing, as so many of us do...Oh, Deportivo-Spenson. Yeah, what's going on here? Trent Gerson passing to an open Crumbliss to let him score? Michael Sheldon giving Molina enough room to let him score? Yeah, this is not normal. Which is fine.

And then 12 de noviembre in San Pablo. Roque Mingo is increasingly coming under fire for his static lineups. (Not that they all aren't, really, though they should be, it's just a hassle to come up with these names. For the Aguazul lot anyway, as long as the spam e-mails keep pouring in, we're fine for Zwangzug surnames.) At any rate, Espinoza chose to not change the roster up too much after winning the regular season last year, and the problems with that were already showing once Mingo took over. When the only person who looks halfway decent is newcomer Ildefonso Félix, one has problems.

So the goals from Macías and singular from Vega came on Sosimo Arriola's end of the pitch, then. And Aiza scored. Huzzah.

Matchday Five: That's more like it

Third consecutive repeat day. Sigh. Yeah, disorganize-it-yourself might not be all it's cracked up to be. Which isn't much, either.

Consistency, on the other hand, does have some collateral advantages...Yeah. Okay. Trecelunas FC were frankly beaten at their own game, as halftime saw Anita Elsehow enter for Bridget Yusko. Elsehow promptly assisted on both goals, which came from Jurin and Naluk. Spenson Suburbia also won by shutout, Crumbliss's goal sufficing with the Pumas' offense snoozing.

Um...After being just about everywhere on the last matchday, the streak settled down in Ciudagua for a match, as Olmos and Casales scored. And Arlington City and Namiri Forest scored three times between them, which we still don't get, but anyhow, that was Yahakov and Ridder. And a Viroopa Pasri own goal.

This new edit feature is shiny, by the way. Or something. Have forgotten to mention it since matchday two.

Matchday Six: Guess Trecelunas FC's score and win absolutely nothing

3-0. So there.

They're supposed to be as good as the Rovers on paper remember, and were at home against San Pablo. So it's not so surprising that Lobo scored...and Cabrera...and Manolo Ybarra...and Sabas Melendez actually looked like he knew what he was doing for a change. Enjoy the illusion.

Because everything else is a repeat, after all, and maybe we should have tested this new thingy. But oh well. The Rovers had more trouble than they should have in Spenson: though Keith Ganther's goal was as fluky as they come, Jurin's and Henke's were just a tad too late for comfort. Namiri Forest-12 de noviembre was astoundingly mediocre, with Casales and Yahakov happening to put the ball in that thing at the end of the field for no apparent reason. On the other hand, Arlington City was outclassed in Ciudad Peralta, and both of Wishon's goals were ridiculously fortunate opportunities. The hosts' forwards seemed to require skill.

Matchday Seven: Not quite surprises, but changes of pace

Spenson Suburbia and Trecelunas FC played to a scoreless draw. Other scoreless draws might have interesting things to say about them. This one doesn't. Next?

Rovers-San Pablo, of course, over in Nuel. (It's great to have names for all these cities, by the way.) For the Pumas, bad things happen in threes...such as the Rovers' attacking trio, all of whom scored.

Deportivo Peralta, until their defeat of Arlington, had drawn every match in the Clausura, and this was no different, other than not being 1-1. Which not all of theirs were anyhow. Not even half-and-half, as Namiri Forest squandered a two-goal lead they had taken through McQuoid and Yahakov. Sofronio Noguerra left it to the seventy-ninth to set up Molina, and Carlito Digüella scored in injury time. It was quite a good match, actually. The extremists provide decent quality and are competitive enough for a really fun game.

That leaves Arlington City-12 de noviembre. Arlington City won. No longer a surprise, one supposes, but it was tied 1-1 for a while (hmm...) after Ridder and Aiza scored. Then Prine scored.

Clausura standings:
W D L GF GA GD Pts
Arlington City 5 1 1 14 6 8 16
Rovers United 4 3 0 15 8 7 15
Namiri Forest 2 4 1 12 8 4 10
Deportivo Peralta 1 6 0 14 13 1 9
Trecelunas FC 1 4 2 6 7 -1 7
Spenson Suburbia 1 3 3 4 8 -4 6
San Pablo 1 1 5 6 17 -11 4
12 de noviembre 0 4 3 7 11 -4 4

Overall standings:
W D L GF GA GD Pts
Rovers United 12 8 1 39 24 15 44
Arlington City 12 4 5 36 22 14 40
Namiri Forest 8 6 4 27 19 8 33
Deportivo Peralta 6 11 4 39 35 4 29
San Pablo 6 3 12 27 42 -15 21
Spenson Suburbia 5 5 11 19 30 -11 20
12 de noviembre 3 9 9 23 30 -7 18
Trecelunas FC 1 13 7 18 26 -8 16
The numbers speak for themselves, but here's closed-captioning for the footballing clueless. Arlington City take a slim lead in the Clausura and gain ground in the overall tables. Both are shaping up as two-horse races. The extremists are the only other teams of real quality; the bottom half is mathematically eliminated from the overall championship. The Aguazul fans really can't be enjoying this too much-the best team over there is Deportivo Peralta. Which drew all but one of its last seven games? That's...a change of pace. And 12 de noviembre is in last in the Clausura, which is also. Trecelunas FC continue last overall, despite having conceded fewer goals than the top two in the last seven matches. The only other team down there is San Pablo, which messed up the tables again. The Apertura though, so it's been fixed. Going 5-2-7 does not earn twelve points.

...Vidur, shut up!

Matchday Eight: Well, no, that'd be weird

And we've had weird enough for a while in some senses. So, 1-2, 2-1, 2-2, and...wait for it...

Rovers-Deportivo, down in Kerlagrad, Jurin took an early lead. Then Guiomar Oleastro tied it up much later. A completely undeserved point for Deportivo Peralta, blah di blah, who only managed to go and put the ball into the net as frequently as the Rovers...Why, for that matter, did Namiri Forest score as many as those two combined? Oh that's right, they were in San Pablo. Raúl Ventura has got to be pretty teed at this point, as he's not all that pathetic. Remilio Puig, to be fair, was the one who was really staunching the flow, limiting the visitors to goals from Yahakov. Two of them. And Vega scored twice, too, so...yeah.

Spenson Suburbia beat 12 de noviembre, which still makes us gawk. Crumbliss headed it in right before halftime, and as if to cement the point, Gerson scored in the fifty-third minute. Then people kicked the ball around for a while, and Casales scored.

Arlington City won, taking the lead through Prine, losing it by way of Lobo, and reclaiming it through Wishon. Yeah.

Matchday Nine: Prine prime as Arlington takes overall lead

Ssh, don't say that, you know how they...oh. Too late.

Well, they're not much for hat-tricks up in Arlington-first and foremost, that involves attack, which they don't exactly have. But they can't go the Namiri Forest route and have just the one player up front, as they'd get a monopoly on the goals. Which isn't nice either. So it's the defensive 1-3-4-3, and unlike the old national team, Arlington City at least seem deliberate about it.

Melissa Prine is the only starting female forward, wry quotation marks or otherwise, in the MUFN, and is either the exception that proves the rule or regression towards the mean after some freakish coincidences, we hope the latter, and...scored a hat-trick. So there you have it.

Oh, and Namiri Forest beat Rovers United. 2-0, Yahakov and Ghebregergish scored.

All of this overshadowed the Aguazul matches, one of which deserved to be. That was 12 de noviembre 1-1 Trecelunas FC (Casales 73; Lobo 14). Then there was also Deportivo Peralta 4-3 San Pablo (Molina 8 and 82, Olmos 23, Pinzón 56; Macías 27, Vega 39, Alimilla 70). Which didn't.

So we haven't mentioned Lope Alimilla this post yet. That's too bad. He's a right-winger for the Pumas. Got carjacked a couple months ago. Um. Yeah, there was a match with goals in and stuff. Which is great if you like goals and stuff. Raúl Ventura probably broke something.

Matchday Ten: Yeah, he did, actually

Dunno what it is, dunno what footballers break, too lazy to look it up. Anyhow he's probably been playing through pain over his last several games. Anyhow, Arlington City beat the Pumas, 3-0 if you must know, in far more traditional style as each forward scored. Not that tradition is good or innovation is bad or that teams that used to be good still are. As the San Pablo story shows. They've conceded fifteen goals in their last five matches.

Ditto 12 de noviembre, comparing the last two seasons, and conversely Rovers United. 2-1 to the latter, Naluk scoring twice and midfield stalwart Joaquín Cuéllar once.

Yahakov's goal would have been enough for Namiri Forest, but no, he scored again in the seventy-third minute. Bradley Curnow's diving didn't help, and Spenson Suburbia go down 2-0. In Namiri Forest, of course, but we don't care.

Then there's Deportivo Peralta. Who, if we're talking about teams that are just as good as other teams on paper, are just as good as 12 de noviembre. On paper. (Better in the actuality, at the moment.) But their whining about last season has sort of abated, so they're not thought of as that good, and when they're held to a draw by last season's 37-pointers, it's not as much of a surprise. Or, alternatively, it is, when it's Trecelunas FC in question. Or, alternatively, it's not, when the score is 1-1. Cabrera scored. So did Olmos.

Matchday Eleven: 1-1...but not where you might think

Though you might, actually...Anyhow, to Trecelunas, where Ybarra scored. And that's it. The defense held firm, the midfield changed at halftime, and Namiri Forest were blanked...All right, perhaps not so surprising.

Ciudagua then? For the thirteen minutes between Macías and Aiza's goals, sure, as Casales already had. Then he went and did it again. A welcome win for 12 de noviembre, and a long time coming too-they hadn't won all Clausura. Ouch.

Deportivo Peralta blanked Spenson Suburbia: after Molina's twelfth-minute goal fans were "treated" to the sight of the visitors trying to defend. Yeah, that didn't last...Pinzón scored twice. So there you have it.

As for Arlington-Rovers, who if you're keeping score at home, er...drew 1-1 in all their previous encounters. Consensus said if this wasn't a preview of the final, there wouldn't be a final at all. Home fans were keyed up, and weren't quite silenced by Jurin's suspiciously-on-target goal. And the roars returned with Wishon's equalizer. Arlington City stay top by a hair.

But the schedule leans in the Rovers' favor for the final three matches: they play Trecelunas, Spenson, and the Pumas, while Arlington faces Namiri, Deportivo, and 12 de noviembre...all right, maybe not so great a challenge on this form. Nobody really thought the Rovers would be a threat: last season's top and bottom halves were scheduled to face each other for the dramatic finish and stuff. Of course, the schedule was made before Season 1 began. How'd it work out like this? Well, aside for 12 de noviembre and Deportivo Peralta (flipped by an incompetent Zwangzug bureaucrat who probably doesn't even know Spanish), the scheduling order was purely alphabetical.

Zwischen isn't getting a club any time soon, let's put it like that.

Matchday Twelve: Rovers back on top, we think

Thanks to Naluk, we avoided a trinity of those pesky 1-1 draws. His eighty-seventh minute tap in gave the Rovers a hard-fought victory over Trecelunas FC: although Henke had taken the lead in the fortieth minute, Lobo quickly retied it. Two actually happened, though: one was in Ciudad Peralta, between two teams with surprisingly little for which to play. Casales blasted it in first, and Deportivo Peralta seemed lethargically comfortable playing catchup, attacking relentlessly until Pinzón's equalizer. The other was down in Namiri Forest, which took a point from Arlington City. Although it's probably too late for the defending champions (ba-doom-chink) to get back into it, it was a loud reminder they're still into it. Ridder scored first, so it was sort of amusing to watch Namiri Forest attempt to equalize: eventually, Mobin Singh took on a wing-back role and set up Patel for the tying goal.

And San Pablo beat Spenson Suburbia, three goals to none. Vega scored one of them, Macías the other two.

Matchday Thirteen: Their name is Rovers United

...and their quest to win season 2 took a wild turn over in Zwischen, where they were "hosting" Spenson Suburbia. Robin Hormel spearheaded the comeback, but equally important events took place in Arlington where the actual capital club, Deportivo Peralta, won 2-0. Oleastro looped in a long goal in minute twenty-seven, and Olmos scored in the sixty-fifth. Arlington are eliminated from the regular season championship, so that's good for the Rovers...Or is it? A similar win took place in Ciudagua, but also for the visitors. It was Yahakov with both goals, in minutes fifty-two and seventy-six. Hmm. At least 12 de noviembre didn't draw 1-1. Trecelunas FC did, however, with San Pablo. Vargas and Vega scored.

All right, so you're losing a Spenson Suburbia away game 2-0. That's the situation in which the Rovers found themselves after Gerson and Crumbliss scored the team's first goals since matchday eight. Don't grumble. Wait for the referee's whistle!

It was Sheldon, who's actually not bad when stuff like this isn't going on, that brought down Jurin in the penalty box. Hormel came forward to take the penalty kick, and Orion Tiangco, who sort of has to be good on set pieces, couldn't reach it. The comeback had commenced. Naluk stormed in five minutes later to tie things up, and Henke brought home, or not as the case may be, the win.

But Deportivo Peralta haven't lost all Clausura, and now lead it.

Clausura standings:
W D L GF GA GD Pts
Deportivo Peralta 8 9 0 26 19 7 33
Arlington City 8 3 2 24 11 13 27
Rovers United 7 5 1 24 16 8 26
Namiri Forest 5 6 2 21 12 9 21
Trecelunas FC 2 7 4 12 14 -2 13
Spenson Suburbia 2 3 8 8 23 -15 9
San Pablo 2 3 8 16 30 -14 9
12 de noviembre 1 6 6 14 20 -6 9

W D L GF GA GD Pts
Rovers United 15 10 2 48 32 16 55
Deportivo Peralta 13 14 4 51 41 10 53
Arlington City 15 6 6 46 27 19 51
Namiri Forest 11 11 5 36 23 13 44
San Pablo 7 5 15 37 55 -18 26
12 de noviembre 4 11 12 30 39 -9 23
Spenson Suburbia 6 5 16 23 45 -22 23
Trecelunas FC 2 16 9 24 33 -9 20
They're still in contention for the overall title, too-who said anything about a two-horse race? But with the culture clash ahead, it won't be an easy game, whereas the Rovers get the Pumas.

Oh. Transfer news. The Yaforite press has covered their end of things, the Scout has found more appropriate players to sign than Sonal Kaur, and there'll probably be some more off to the CMSC as well. So...See you on matchday fourteen?

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w175/candelariaandmarquez/cmscxxix.png

Matchday Ten: Happy Fun Time, with Harmony McIntosh

Okay children, shall we play a game? Would you like that? Yaaaay! Okay, what we’re going to do is try and guess the scores of league matches from the Candelaria And Marquez Soccer Champ… No, I’ve no idea either, Payton. I think it’s the one with the robotic ducks. And what will happen, is that the person who gets the most scores right will win today’s dinosaur sticker!

Okay, so we’re going to start with AFC MN Smith, now that’s a club from Bove, which is the third-biggest city in the country! But, not many people in Bove go to watch MN Smith, because the club has been taken over by people who used to support the other club in Bove, which was run out of business when MN Smith were created, and they’ve got no money to buy players and they’ve had to sell their best players like Jamie Watson and Lance Adams and Niv Cohen, WHO IS A FILTHY JEW, YOU MUST CRUSH THEM ALL, CHILDREN, THEY MURDERED OUR SAVIOUR, and they’re playing against Green Island. Now, Green Island have finished second in the league before, and they’ve played well in the Champions’ Cup in the past. And their team will include Espy va Drake, who plays for the World champions, Valanora, and Ben Head, the former captain of the Candylurrian Mark national team! Everybody says that their manager, Hane Davies, has done really, really well at making not at all very good players become world-beaters in a very short space of time!

So, what does everyone think the score is going to be? Skyler? Three-nil to Green Island, yes, that’s possible. Addison, what about you? Only two-one Green Island, you think it’ll be more difficult away from home? Genesis, yes? A one-all draw? Well, that doesn’t sound very likely now, does it? No, I don’t know about that? What about you, Jordan? TWO-NIL TO MN SMITH?!?! WHAT ARE YOU, A FUCKING MORON?!?!

Okay, well let’s find ou… Oh. Okay, well that was 2-0 to MN Smith. Never mind, children, let’s move on to the next one. Albrecht Turkish, now they’re the second-biggest club in the country, and they’ve only just won the Champions’ Cup, and they’ve finished in the top two for the last three seasons! They’ve got some wonderful players, they really have, and they’ll be playing at home against the El din Marbles. They’ve been in the Champions’ Cup as well, and it’s really taken it out of them, poor things. They’re not doing very well at all, and they won’t be able to play their defender Evan Laurie because in the last game he kicked the shit out of Abdoulaye Soro.

So, what do you think the score will be? Bennett, what about you? Two-nil to Turkish? That’s not a bad idea, Wyatt, what about you? Four-nil to Turkish, gosh! That’s quite a drubbing. Ummm…. Yes, Trinity? You think the Marbles are going to win three-two? FOR THE LOVE OF SWEET JESUS, DO YOU LISTEN TO NOTHING I SAY? No wonder your father’s in prison. Well, shall we find out? Okay…

Um. Right. Um. Okay, well this one should be easy. Port of Clotaire are at home. They’re leading the league! They’ve got Lee Waywide, and Serkan Turkmen, and Kim Zetaback, and Natalie Instonenext and Tom Redway! All these great players. They’ve conceded fewer goals than anyone, thanks to Amis Cressey in goal, and their full-backs Arthur Walker and God’s Power Adekunde. And they’re playing against Cathedral City, who finished really low down last year. They’ve conceded ten goals already, because their best defender Caleb Christmas has been out injured long-term. Their striker is called Jason Federici, and he used to be at Port of Clotaire but they sold him for lots of money because he looked really good when he was little, but now he’s grown up a bit he’s not very good at all. Rather like you, Trinity.

So, what does everyone think? Keagan? Kenzie? Kayla? Kaylee? Kylie? Katelyn? Kaden? Kennedy? Kaleb? Kendall? Kylee? Kaden? Kyla? Kelsey? Karter? Kai? Kayleigh? Kaydence? Kaelyn? Keaton? Kimora? Kaden? Kellen? Keyon? Kenna? Kinsley? Fred? Yes, that’s right! Port of Clotaire are going to win!

Uhm… Alright, I think something’s gone a little bit wrong here… Let’s try the Caires derby game! Now, Caires Sports are really a team on the up; they’ve got some very talented young players like Grey Mendoza and Harris Matthews and Ahershk Valinial, whereas Caires City are on a downward spiral…

AFC MN Smith 2-0 Green Island (Keddy 3, Brightmore 86)
Albrecht Turkish 2-3 El din Marbles (Maini 17 and 37; Percy 44, Soro 45+2, Watson 49)
Arrigo Portuguese 2-2 Radyukevich CSC (González 2, Smith 43; Naylor 40, Ragab 48)
Caires Sports 0-1 Caires City (McGuire 65)
Gamboa FC 0-2 Albrecht FC (Wiedemann 42, B. Edwards 90+1)
KT Hotspur 0-0 Candelaria-Allemali
Marquez-Onwere 2-2 Candelaria Arsenal (Siriwong 10, Cassumba Domingos 14; Cerullei 11, Kemp 71)
McDonald SC 1-0 Turks’ Club (Arnold 90)
Port of Clotaire 1-2 Cathedral City (Waywide 81; Filmar 70, Jobson 84)

Matchday Eleven: Who coaches the coaches?

Perhaps we should take a moment out from our usual schedule of tedious amazement that MN Smith won yet another game and that McDonald (who?) are anything other than eighteenth, to reflect on the status of coaching in the Candelarias.

Or perhaps we shouldn’t, since we don’t really have a clue what we’re talking about on that front. But it’s still an important point, because while pundits can wring their hands over the production line of young talent and the rather grim present and distressing-looking future of the national team (we have a national team now?), the issue of who will be coaching them is just as important. On the face of it, C&M have been getting things right on this account for quite a while. Candelariasian players are generally technically superior than our cultural ancestry would suggest – a fact which accounted for the numbers of Garcías and Rossis among youth team coaches of the early numerals – and one cannot ignore the numbers of talented left-sided that come through; many of them naturally right-footed players taught to play with both feet. It seems an obvious thing, but until recently the idea of a kid named Jones, White or Percy succeeding on that flank was considered laughable.

And yet, among the managers, the top dogs, it’s equally noticeable how the collection in general fails to represent the ancestral make-up of the islands in the same way as their players. Marshall, Mason, Davies, Harvey, Cunningham, Duffy, Sampson, Gates, George… Look down the leagues and it gets even worse, but what’s more concerning is how many top former pros, of whatever descendence, are getting jobs in the CMSC2 or lower. Damien Lavender, the former C.A.L ‘keeper is now at Abiodun North. Jack Moore, only recently a Green Island winger, is now at Khatib FC. Damien Moller, the Albrecht FC lej, has got the gig at Caires FC. These are big jobs going to guys barely out of their thirties, and with now previous managerial experience. At least CMSC boards are, for now, promoting from below; but the likes of Giorgio Pezzoni, Reilly Palacios and Rudy Clark remain linked with every job going, despite never having tasted the hotseat themselves. You don’t need badges to manage in C&M, but at this rate surely that’s got to change? Too many clubs are starting to look for quick-fix solutions.

Such as appointing a foreigner, which was all the vogue after Andy Woolworth arrived from Kura-Pelland (I’m sure I’ve heard that name before, but can’t quite place it) and promptly took MarquezOW to the title, but since then success has been rather mixed. Woolworth himself hasn’t had an easy time of it, though the naranja have finished in the top four for the last two seasons, and are back on the up after their woeful start, following a 4-1 comeback win at KT Hotspur. But there’s another case in point, for the Spur are second-bottom under the Praying2Godder Thomas Larson, and really shouldn’t be. They may not have gotten all their transfer targets, but the veteran foreigner was given cash and spent it not-particularly wisely. The Adamcyzks’ must surely be ready to launch the escape pods, but it says something that the Bostopian Karl Matthews would most probably be their caretaker. For heaven’s sake; we’re Candelariasians! We make stuff! We have to! Comes of being only slightly the right side of impoverished! Why on earth can’t we make our own coaches any more?

Why are so many Candelariasians called Damien, more to the point?

Matthew Tortini’s another one, another Kura-Pellandi indeed, who’s really struggling. It’s just odd, because this is a properly too-good-to-go-down Arrigo Portuguese side, but time and time against el Profesor just can’t seem the string more than two good performances together. This weekend they fell at home to Caires Sports, which nobody deserves.

But then, on t’other hand, you get Albrecht Turkish. They faced Port of Clotaire at Harper Street on Saturday, in arguably the biggest game of the season so far. We should probably’ve mentioned that before, actually.

Anyway, it was a smashing game, blahdiblahdiblah; and which manager came out victorious? Yep, one Asdrubal Espinoza. With the TQCC3 in his back pocket (have we mentioned that?) and Albrecht FC in far-from imperious form after their own 2-1 home defeat to the Smudgers, you wouldn’t back against Espinoza repeating Woolworth’s first-term heroics. Some pundits have already been linking him with the C&M job which, although wildly premature, is far from impossible. Kris Healy will surely resign if the Big Blues fail to make the World Cup… so, Kris Healy is going to resign in a few weeks, leaving the way seemingly clear for the CAMAFA to stick their tail between their legs in the manner of a comedy penis, and hire a foreigner.

Or, more probably, Javier Sanchez, providing they can fork out the necessary cash to tug him away from América. But he’s lived in Cafundéu for ages, so he’s practically foreign. The point still stands.

Elsewhere, two more sides got away wins by three clear goals. Hmmm….

Arrigo Portuguese 1-2 Caires Sports (Cvecej 17; Meakin 37, Kim 65)
Albrecht FC 1-2 AFC MN Smith (Vanderpent 85; Powell 49, Walker 50)
Caires City 1-0 Candelaria-Allemali (Dionísio 45+2)
Candelaria Arsenal 0-3 El din Marbles (LeCass 39, Torrell-Whyte 54, Percy 90+1)
Cathedral City 1-4 Green Island (Folgueira 87; Okeke 45+1, va Drake 67 and 72, Vidakovic 82)
KT Hotspur 1-4 Marquez-Onwere (Inaki 17; Siriwong 34 and 62, Stafador 40 and 55)
Gamboa FC 1-0 Turks’ Club (Castelão 58)
McDonald SC 2-1 Radyukevich CSC (Ryan 36, Roberts 84; Ibadulla 9)
Port of Clotaire 1-2 Albrecht Turkish (Waywide 44; Walker og 35, Dixon 48)

Matchday Twelve: It’s time for 6-0-6

Thank heavens for Globo Multimedia, just when the CMSC was in danger in turning on itself. One of the founding principals of the modern Candelariasian national league was the unity of purpose of its members. Creating the right balance between identikit franchises and independently-minded businesses was always going to be difficult – the National Foot-Ball League of the past failed miserably on both accounts, creating a league full of clubs with either no connection to their traditional fanbase or those in thrall to the whims of their more vocal supporters and with no sense of the greater good – but it was always considered of the greatest importance that disputes between clubs were handled in-house.

This week however, Keith Last and Nigel Morilla – the mutually antagonistic chairmen of the El din Marbles and Cathedral City respectively – backed each other up when they claimed that would not think twice about taking the CMSC, as a bloc, to court, in the event that either of them placed fourth at the close of the Apertura, and ahead of Albrecht Turkish, and would therefore be denied a place in the fourth TQCC. While such considerations may seem highly presumptuous, given that neither of the El din clubs occupy those positions with five games to go until the half-way stage, their statements could well have lent backing to any other fourth-placed side with similar grievances. The fact remain that nowhere in the CMSC’s constitution, amended after the formation of the TQCC, does it state that a reigning Candelariasian champion would gain entry to the tournament automatically, as the first-choice pick, regardless of league placing. They simply didn’t expect it to be an issue.

If push came to shove, the CMSC wouldn’t have a legal leg to stand on in this battle. But their knight in shining armour may prove the Globe Cup. While clearly a less prestigious event by its very nature, this tournament would still be a money-spinner and, for lesser sides, represent a greater chance of silverware than the TQCC itself. Should it come to it, the likes of the Marbles and Cats might well be mollified by the continued prospect of global football.

Problems still remain that could blow up in the CMSC’s face – what if Albrecht FC were to be placed second but miss out on automatic group stage football thanks to Turkish? It’s a possibility that has to be considered, particularly after this weekend when Asdrubal Espinoza took Turkish to Green Island and promptly lost, to leave the TQCC champions (they won it, don’tchano) in sixth place.

Clashes between these two have been among the highlights of the CMSC over recent seasons; thanks in part to the conflicts between two rather similar Eesseffians, Scott Soldarian and Roger Zetaback. Not so this time, of course, but Hane Davies was still in a proactive mood and opted to give Lloyd Carpenter the heave-ho in favour of Tom Osborne. One of the finds of the season so far, the diminutive nineteen year-old playmaker partnered Reiban Okeke behind Stuart Vidakovic for the first time, against Turkish, and make one hell of an impact, terrorising that poor, beleaguered all-Candelariasian defence throughout the first half. Perhaps the Candelarias can produce attacking central midfielder, after all. The GIZ defence excelled themselves every bit as much however, following the return of the big little Kerecan Russ Zapata, allowing Gary Maini and Ryan Taylor barely a sniff.

Green Island ultimately ran out three-one winners to move up to fourth, while Turkish drop to sixth with a 6-0-6 record. Hence. Taking advantage of that were a rather surprising couple of sides. Principle among them are MN Smith. Granted, facing Turks’ Club at the moment is not the most fearsome of challenges, with two of their better players in the dock and Derek Marshall struggling manfully to hold things together, but Christopher Harvey really is doing a marvellous job in his debut season. No-one’s going to be drawling over how pretty they are, but Karl McDonald look a defender reborn after his move from the Turks – despite having clearly been bought for a run at promotion from the CMSC2 in mind – while Kirby Brightmore and Jamie Johansson are an impressive partnership up front. And they still do have a couple of those pesky Scotchpiners, lest we forget, with Seth Walker getting the Smudgers’ single goal in Khatib-Gassett.

Caires City also grabbed a 1-0 away win to move up to fifth, their final position last year. It goes without saying that absolutely no-one expected them to make the great in their second season, with no major additions to their squad whatsoever; but Elgin Dannat looks right to have trusted in his relatively large selection of mediocre players. No Rodrigo Cozzi? Bring in old Derek Spencer. Xan Tipton suspended again? Find a perky seventeen year-old called Freedom Weller down the side of the sofa. Need strength up front, play Pep McGuire. Need pace, play Isaac Burridge. It’s not rocket science, but his mix-and-match approach to team selection is really working. Certainly against Marquez-Onwere, anyway. Andy Woolworth’s side are back in the bottom three, and while it’s far too early to pull the trigger on a league-winning manager just yet, it’s pretty hard to see how it’s going to get much better any time soon.

Up t’other end, Albrecht FC stay top with a 1-1 draw with Catedral, and are being chased down by Port of Clotaire. The Harpies struggled massively against the unpredictable C.A.L side, before equalising and emerging as 3-1 winners in the final fifteen minutes.

Crawford Panama got sent off for a horror tackle and his Marbles side lost. Seiichi Ganaha got sent off for a horror tackle and his Portuguese side won. So there you go.

Albrecht FC 1-1 Cathedral City (Vanderpent 5; Ozi-Mayer 48)
Arrigo Portuguese 2-1 McDonald SC (Carocha 56, González 73; Ryan 55)
Caires Sports 0-1 Candelaria-Allemali (Parrish 68)
El din Marbles 0-1 KT Hotspur (Milton 40)
Gamboa FC 1-0 Radyukevich CSC (Jones 77)
Green Island 3-1 Albrecht Turkish (Vidakovic 17, Osborne 18, va Drake 68; Williams 71)
Marquez-Onwere 0-1 Caires City (McGuire 30)
Port of Clotaire 3-1 Candelaria Arsenal (Waywide 79 and 90+1, Orlovic 81; Fields 2)
Turks’ Club 0-1 AFC MN Smith (Walker 72)

Matchday Thirteen: Not imposible, just pissing unlikely

Arright, it’s important to point out at this stage of the proceedings that the ‘ten points rule’ that has been employed in previous seasons to measure the closeness of the league shows a spread of 24 and 14 points between first and seventeenth. Only Radyukevich spoil the statistic, sitting at the foot of the table on thirteen points, and there’s still every possibility that they could be playing TQCC football before we hit the Twenties, matchday-wise. Or global football, at any rate. But then, so might Swords of Bass or Fallon United… but that’s another story.

The Jukos’ rather unexpected bottom-scraping at this stage comes courtesy of Christopher Harvey and AFC MN Smith, that little club from a big city who should, by all right and reason, be in Radyukevich’s place already. But they’re not. They’re first.

It may prove just to be a bizarre fluke, but this is none the less a brava performance of a team in turmoil pulling together. Sure, you can waffle on about technique and tactics; but when all’s said and done they’re up here through sheer grit and determination. And now, the supporters are starting to flood back and even some of the old All Saints fans are starting to bury the hatchet… It’s a Christmas miracle! And it’s not even Christmas! So that’s doubly miraculous!

They wouldn’t have been top if the leaders had got their games right, mind you. Port of Clotaire drew goalless with KT Hotspur – and that may be a worrying trend for the Harpies, who clearly can’t always be relied upon to put away what should be fairly easy games. They’ve still only let in eight goals though, which should see them right for as long as they can keep that standard up.

The big game of the weekend was in Albrecht though, for the long-awaited derby. It was the first time that the Millermen and Scorpions had met since the former had lifted the third TQCC (hadn’t you heard?), and as the nominal home team Turkish fans were chivalrous about not mocking their rivals too much, or waving their cardboard cut-outs, or anything. Scorpions fans came back with chants to the effect that the people in the capital’s outer boroughs were a little on the inbred side and, more to the point, that Albrecht FC were the reigning league champions, and it could have got all rather unpleasant… but who has the heart for that kind of thing these days?

And so, the Albrecht clubs played a full-bodied but respectful game which only resulted in one injury – Oberon Martinez limping off in the second half after a challenge from Joe Cunningham. It didn’t make any difference to the scoreline in the end; Albrecht Turkish still ran out 2-1 winners despite a quality performance from Ryan Edwards, who must surely be a shoe-in for C&M’s Cup of Harmony squad.

Yea, the Cup of Harmony. And we can’t even thump Kura-Pelland this time. That’s the real blow.

It does of course mean – potentially, depending on timings – a nightmare for those clubs boasting numerous World Cupping players (there’s an image) and a huge sigh of relief to those with merely CoH-standard internationals. Such as Candelaria-Allemali (nice segue), who beat Arrigo Portuguese 4-2 thanks to the Arrozan Tate Parrish and a hat-trick from the Candelariasian (!) Andrew Bradley. The Kura-Pellandi Iain Belling and Squornshelan Djabgor Cvecej scored for Portuguese, both of whom are expected to toddle off to the World Cup in a couple of games.

I’m not entirely sure what that says, but it says something. Surely?

Elsewhere, a late goal from the Blouman Johnathan Filmar kept Cathedral in sixth, a point and a place behind Caires City, who thumped the El din Marbles 3-0. And some other stuff, but whatever.

AFC MN Smith 3-1 Radyukevich CSC (Johansson 39 and 45, Moore 57; Davis 37)
Albrecht Turkish 2-1 Albrecht FC (Soldarian 17 and 53; R. Edwards 27)
Caires City 3-0 El din Marbles (Varnali 44, McGuire 86, Becchio 90+4)
Candelaria-Allemali 4-2 Arrigo Portuguese (Bradley 14 and 73 and 90, Parrish 68; Belling 66, Cvecej 90+3)
Cathedral City 1-0 Turks’ Club (Filmar 89)
Green Island 0-1 Candelaria Arsenal (Harouni 65)
Marquez-Onwere 2-0 Caires Sports (Zulqadr 35, Stafador 47)
McDonald SC 3-2 Gamboa FC (Sabzvari og 2, Arnold 4, Guzelis 82; Plet og 23, Richardson 90+2)
Port of Clotaire 0-0 KT Hotspur

Matchday Fourteen: Mechanical Turks grind on

With the even longer seasons we’re now enjoying (ha!), it’s hard to know when to really start talking about anyone’s title chances, but you’d have to say that Albrecht Turkish have really got to start watching themselves now. Their run-in until the end of the Super 17 stage (my God that’s a stupid name; what’s wrong with ‘Half-Way’ or the ol’ ‘Apertura’, tell me that?) looks painfully easy, but in it’s own way could prove Asdrubal Espinoza’s greatest test so far. Another season in the TQCC is guaranteed whatever; but the league has to be his cheese and cress sandwiches and, if they can’t imperiously sweep aside all comers over the next few weeks, questions will be asked.

It’s not that they’re playing poorly, it’s just that there’s a hastiness and whatnot about Turkish at the moment. They’re going through the motions rather than enjoying their football, and the foreign front three have to take their fair share of the blame. Turkish were always expected to be among the most negatively affected by the crossover between the league, a C&M-less World Cup and the CoH; but frankly on this form the likes of Connor Tucker and Russell Maidment deserve their few games in the spotlight.

It didn’t help that they were up against Turks’ Club, who’re also just motoring along at the moment. By next week, they’ll know if Oscar Zois and/or Austin Lewis will be returning to their collective bosom, and will be able to concentrate on the future either way. As it is, they still have to be candidates for the drop – and life could get much worse once Kura-Pellandi ‘keeper Fedde Jeffrey toddles off to the World Cup.

Still, let not this 0-0 draw get in the way of the weekend’s key game, the meeting of Caires City and Port of Clotaire at the McNeil Bingo Arena. This wasn’t a major occasion in the title race, it wasn’t, it can’t be… But the Errant Knights still look awfully solid. And not merely that – against the Harpies they played some controlled but genuinely sparkling football, showing some superb movement and Elgin Dannat’s tactical nouse against superior opposition. It’s not Totaalvoetbal, I’ll grant you, but this team has been together for so long now that it all comes very easily – and that could prove a major boon in the Champions’ Cup, should they inch their way there. Arguably their key man, the Cafundelense Dionísio (duh) will miss the next three games after picking up a second-half injury, but they’ve got a three-point cushion now, over PoC, after beat Niko Mason’s side 2-0.

That’s kids’ stuff compared to the five-point cushion of the Smith, although their routine victory over a reliably blah McDonald SC, remarkable only thanks to Smith defender Karl McDonald scoring the opener against McDonald and oh! didn’t the headline writers adore that.

The only other thing to note this week was the number of wingers getting themselves sent off. Wide midfielders aren’t particularly known for their skills in the tackling department, so why so many are risking it just now is anyone’s guess. This week’s litany of sin included both Özkan Yalçin and Aaron Kortsarian in the Green Island versus KT Hotspur goalless draw (at least it had something going for it, then) and Ahershk Valinial in Caires Sports’ 2-0 loss at the El din Marbles.

That result left the Knights the all-new bum-wipers, which seems entirely undeserved based on the quality of their football so far, but it’s a results business, this game.

Very much so, John.

AFC MN Smith 2-1 McDonald SC (McDonald 37, Brightmore 39; Rose 68)
Albrecht FC 2-1 Candelaria Arsenal (B. Edwards 27, Vanderpent 48; Morales 76)
Arrigo Portuguese 4-0 Gamboa FC (Carocha 14, Smith 17 and 83, Belling 25)
Caires City 2-1 Port of Clotaire (Dionísio 19, Redway og 34; Zetaback 70)
El din Marbles 2-0 Caires Sports (Archer 8, Watson 33)
Green Island 0-0 KT Hotspur
Marquez-Onwere 2-1 Candelaria-Allemali (Careca 20 and 42; Bradley 75)
Radyukevich CSC 1-1 Cathedral City (White 90; Ozi-Mayer 36)
Turks’ Club 0-0 Albrecht Turkish

Matchday Fifteen: Not so easy after all, then…

Albrecht Turkish need a thoroughly good kick up the backside, and perhaps this was what they needed. At home to an admittadly dangerous, but hopelessly misfiring Radyukevich, the reigning Champions’ Cup holders (I know! You’d think they’d go on about it more) huffed and blowed and passed sideways a lot and barely threatened Gari Kilod, the truly ancient Uir goalkeeper or his back four. For their part, the visitors had little more oportunities, particularly after opening and closing their account through Julius Rotherwell, but their young defence looked solid enough. They’ve got a Taeshanese international left-back, after all. That’s gotta count for something these days, hasn’t it?

Turkish meanwhile are slipping furthur and furthur behind Albrecht FC with each passing matchday. It’s a curious thing, how the country has now come to take it for granted that the Scorpions should be leading the table again – yes, they’re the biggest club in the country etcteraetcetera, but it shouldn’t escape anyone's attention that they’re not nessasirly all that good. Certainly not ‘dead cert’ material, though you wouldn’t have guessed that from a fine performance in Rose of Sharon. Andy Le Lan’s side fair spanked KT Hotspur, including a mid-air volley from Francois St. Louis that was quite the most jaw-dropping thing we’ve seen from a full-back all year. That’s one way to celebrate Kelssek making the World Cup, I suppose.

The Spur were pretty dire, to be fair, and were it not for Joel Sbaïz between the sticks would’ve lost by rather more than 3-1. For a demanding fellow like Lee Adamczyk – who increasingly seems to becoming, by accident or design, a carbon-copy of his eccentric father – performances like this just aren’t good enough, and Thomas Larson may well find himself the first top-flight manager of XXIX to be given the chop if the Spur are still in the bottom three come the close of the Apertura. On the plus side, they’ve got the CMS Cup next match, a competition they have a fine record in. On the other hand, they’re hosting Albrecht FC in it again. Oops.

The Scorpions are top thanks to MN Smith’s slip-up, a 3-0 defeat to Gamboa FC. This is just the sort of result they should be getting, frankly, but if this can just eek out enough points from the games with Portuguese and the Cats to come, the City of Bove Stadium (still an awful name, they really need a swish sponsor) could still be playing host to Cafundó do Juta, Raynor City and so and such forth.

But so could the McNeil Bingo Arena (now they don’t need a sponsor), though Caires City are holding on by but the skin of their shiny teggies after Brayton Desideri – not for the first time over the years – put through his own net to hand the Errant Knights a late equaliser in Zapata. They also got a favour from mummy and daddy down the road, as Caires Sports also got a 1-1 away draw away from home, against Port of Clotaire. Surely the Harpies' now traditional slippage isn’t starting early? Surely they won’t be able to cope with another seventh-place finish?

Somebody played at home in Caires, btw. Caires FC, who got a 2-2 draw with Clube Marquez in their mid-table CMSC2 battle. So there you go.

Elsewhere, because we can’t ignore elsewhere, Careca scored a rather rare goal for Marquez-Onwere to keep the naranja in the hunt as ever, with Carroll Eriksson performing quite the most awful foul of the season for Portuguese; while young winger Reuben Ryan was stretchered off for McDonald after barely five minutes, and the Dons did nothing else for the rest of the game save cling on to a 0-0 draw at Cathedral City. That’s still not an awful result for the Cats, who’re fifth without anyone really noticing.

Albrecht Turkish 0-1 Radyukevich CSC (Rotherwell 35)
Candelaria-Allemali 2-1 El din Marbles (Parrish 28, Bornemann 90; Laurie 40)
Candelaria Arsenal 0-2 Turks’ Club (Dolphin 19, Johnson 56)
Cathedral City 0-0 McDonald SC
Gamboa FC 3-0 AFC MN Smith (Jua 4, Ely 52 and 74)
Green Island 1-1 Caires City (va Drake 45+1; Desideri og 81)
KT Hotspur 1-3 Albrecht FC (Sattler 76; Vanderpent 6, St. Louis 43, Fattori 68)
Marquez-Onwere 1-0 Arrigo Portuguese (Careca 45)
Port of Clotaire 1-1 Caires Sports (Adekunde 15, Meakin 22)

CMS Cup Last Thirty-Two

Oh my sainted aunt, I can barely contain my excitement. Yes, in association with Zwangzug Personal Assistance Ltd, we interrupt the current thrilling, after a fashion, run towards the half-way stage, with all the money-spinning global cup runs it brings, to present the CMS Cup, a competition appearing entirely out of historical duty rather than anything practical.

Actually, there were hopes in some quarters that the Cup may end up having something about it this year. For one thing, the eighteen-team CMSC1 – and indeed CMSC2 – means that there should be a host of mid-table sides looking to use the Cup as their one opportunity to liven up their seasons. And then in came the Globe Cup and SBCC, which promptly blew that idea out of the water.

The CAMAFA have attempted to rectify this by promising the winners a Globe Cup place… though not for the second tournament, but for the third. That would mean that the fifth- and sixth-place CMSC sides comes the end of the Clausura would go into that event, while the fifth side after the Apertura stage would be joined by the CMS Cup winners from the previous year and AAAAAAGGHH!!! It’s all an absolute nightmare frankly – and made academic by the reality that one of the big boys is probably going to win the bloody thing anyway.

Added to all this is the controversy of the competition’s format, which for the first time will see amateur sides removed. So, the opportunity for the Dog & Duck to play host to Albrecht FC is gone, with such sides now playing in their own competition. The CAMAFA have defended this robustly, while admitting that the primary reason was to avoid prissy Eesseffian internationals and similar expensive foreigners getting trampled on by every Tom, Dick and Enrique from some piddly little hamlet. This seems a shame. Mind you, you don’t have to travel too far down the league before you hit upon some real hackers, let me tell you.

Anyhoo, here be the story so far…

First Round
Warne Cities 0-1 Los Realejos Storks
Cleal Beck 1-1 Liverpool Knights
~ Replay: Liverpool Knights 2-0 Cleal Beck
Newport Island 1-0 Exeter Trident
Condory Bantams 0-1 Di Alfonso Phoenix
Le Thipp Judek 1-0 Club Gymnasia y Fútbol de Concepción del Lo Tártaro
Club Atlético Fasnia 1-1 Melin Professionals
~ Replay: Melin Professionals 5-0 Club Atlético Fasnia
Pranscke Island Athletics 0-1 Alber City Wasps
Abiodun South 1-2 Blackwell Island
Mount Lo 1-0 Brodoff SC
Lower Wessaxtown Magicians 0-0 The New Saints
~ Replay: The New Saints 1-2 Lower Wessaxtown Magicians
Onwere University 0-2 Starless City Nationals
Scruggs Picking Sharks 2-1 Lesperance Knights
Stanley SC 2-0 New Taylor Road
Webley Stadium 1-1 Hanlon Beavers
~ Replay: Hanlon Beavers 3-2 Webley Stadium
Estrellas Brilliantes 2-4 Thompsontown Bettians
Thoth Town SC 4-4 Saurin I.A.
~ Replay: Saurin I.A. 0-2 Thoth Town SC
Hanlon Warbirds 2-0 Robert Simpson FC
Korslund 3-1 Chapon United
Club Atlético Lugar 0-0 Riverton Olympic
~ Replay: Riverton Olympic 2-1 Club Atlético Lugar
Gustavo Sánchez 4-3 Arrigo C.d.F.
Dublynne Raiders 1-2 Warbirds Talinger
Larrataff FC 1-0 Guerreros de Agujero
Fallon Town FC 1-0 Nader FC
Chapon FC 1-2 Dyce FC

Second Round
Alber City Wasps 3-1 Liverpool Knights
Lower Wessaxtown Magicians 1-2 Larrataff FC
Scruggs Picking Sharks 3-2 Le Thipp Judek
Stanley SC 2-1 Thompsontown Bettians
Starless City Nationals 0-0 Thoth Town SC
~ Replay: Thoth Town SC 2-1 Starless City Nationals
Warbirds Talinger 3-0 Gustavo Sánchez
Melin Professionals 1-0 Blackwell Island
Riverton Olympic 3-1 Hanlon Beavers
Di Alfonso Phoenix 1-1 Mount Lo
~ Replay: Mount Lo 1-1 Di Alfonso Phoenix (2-2 AET) (Di Alfonso Phoenix wins 4-1 on penalty kicks)
Korslund 0-0 Los Realejos Storks
~ Replay: Los Realejos Storks 4-2 Korslund
Newport Island 2-0 Hanlon Warbirds
Fallon Town FC 2-0 Dyce FC

Third Round
Alvery Blades 2-1 McDonald SC
Ironside-Talinger 2-1 Alber City Wasps
Stanley SC 2-0 Newport Island
Mayo Valley 1-1 Riverton Olympic
~ Replay: Riverton Olympic 1-2 Mayo Valley
Swords of Bass 1-1 Clube Marquez
~ Replay: Clube Marquez 1-1 Swords of Bass (1-1 AET) (Swords of Bass wins 4-1 on penalty kicks)
Sloane Wanderers 1-1 Caires FC
~ Replay: Caires FC 1-0 Sloane Wanderers
Deportivo María 1-3 Larrataff FC
Miranda FC 1-0 Brayton Town
Candelaria-Allemali 1-1 Scruggs Picking Sharks
~ Replay: Scruggs Picking Sharks 2-3 Candelaria-Allemali
Los Realejos Storks 0-1 Abiodun North
Bass FC 0-2 Fallon United
Melin Professionals 2-1 Warbirds Talinger
Fallon Town FC 1-2 Maidment SC
Melin & Nader 3-0 Khatib FC
Albrecht Independent FC 1-1 Di Alfonso Phoenix
~ Replay: Di Alfonso Phoenix 0-1 Albrecht Independent FC
Thoth Town SC 3-2 Castillo FC

Aaaaaaand hello again. No scorers there, you’ll notice. We’re having similar issues to our friends in Aguazal on that account.

There were a nice few upsets, which is all very thrilling for people from Alvery or The House on the Hill (a town some way west of Bove known traditionally as Thoth), but slightly unimportant for the rest of us. Actually, there were rather less overall that usual, perhaps a result of middling teams taking this competition much more seriously this time around.

In the last thirty-two though… blimey.

In many ways, the key upset was in Rose of Sharon where KT Hotspur hosted Albrecht FC for the second time in as many weeks. This time however, Andy Le Lan was forced to admit where his bread was buttered, with the Scorpions’ need to secure a TQCC group stage place rather more important that this old bit of pot. And so, goodbye Peter Vanderpent and the Edwards brothers; hello Nima Ali, Daniel Armour and the dangerously young Ben Zec. Dylan Farquar, Mark Baba… their own mothers wouldn’t have recognised ‘em, frankly.

They certainly weren’t recognisable as football players, anyroad. The Spur, who’ve appeared in the last two finals, eased passed the champions 3-0. A third straight replay with Marquez-Onwere is still a possibility meanwhile, though the naranja were given a real work-out by CSMC2 strugglers Maidment before winner 2-1.

That result was hardly the order of the day however, as CMSC1 sides fell left, right and centre. Partly they were taking each other out, of course; Albrecht Turkish smacking a couldn’t-care-less Radyukevich 3-1 one week after losing 1-0 in the league (‘tis nice how these things work out, innit?), Turks’ Club scoring three, count ‘em, three against MN Smith, and Archer French scoring a penalty in the ninetieth minute to put a Caires Sports side who really don’t want to be here into the last sixteen, with a 2-1 win over a Green Island side who plainly did, very much.

It wasn’t a great weekend to be a CMSC1 side in Melin; the diverse, slightly grimy city that sticks out from the rest of Marquez like a sore thumb. Melin & Nader came off the worst of a bizarre opening twenty minutes at home to fellow second-islanders Arrigo Portuguese, but winger Genal Pareja equalled things up 3-3 on the stroke of half-time, from whence the scoreline fluttered no more. Los italianos took it to a replay at the Estadio Arrigo Nacional, and saw young striker Javier Pérez add to former A.Turks man Toby Stumpf’s opener. They went off happy with a 2-1 win, to join a rapidly improving Melin Professionals side in the last sixteen following their really rather sensational 1-0 win over Port of Clotaire. They and their young coach James Hannah are really going to be ones to watch.

Meanwhile, Thoth Town achieved the result of the weekend by far; beating C.A.L 2-1 and sending the Villanelles on their best ever Cup run. They’ll be joined in the last sixteen by the equally lowly Larrataff FC, the Marquezians overcoming their fellow Campeonato de la Doble Vidriera de la Élite side, Stanley SC by veteran forward Lee Downer’s solo effort to nil.

Cathedral City were the final CMSC1 failures, with Enrique Silva de Aviz scoring an own goal in the third minute of stoppage time to allow a very promising Ironside team into the last sixteen.

As for the draw, then, and KT Hotspur are ‘rewarded’ by a trip to Albrecht Turkish. Thoth Town will visit the El din Marbles, Larrataff get CandelariaAM, there’s an all-CMSC2 tie as Caires FC host Albrecht Independent… oh, and Melin & Nader welcome Melin Professionals.

It really is nice how these things work out, eh?

Last Thirty-Two
Melin Professionals 1-0 Port of Clotaire (Jerez 40)
Marquez-Onwere 2-1 Maidment SC (Careca 28, Shen 76; Benson 39)
Fallon United 0-1 Caires City (Adams og 74)
Caires FC 1-0 Swords of Bass (Fattori 7)
Cathedral City 1-2 Ironside-Talinger (Ozi-Mayer 19; Calero 6, Silva de Aviz og 90+3)
Thoth Town SC 2-1 Candelaria Arsenal (Hazelzet 5, Follett 51; Fields 69)
Melin & Nader 3-3 Arrigo Portuguese (Garza 3, Jeremy 16, Pareja 45; Travers 2, Cvecej 10 and 17)
~ Replay: Arrigo Portuguese 1-2 Melin & Nader (Cvcej 81; Stumpf 36, Pérez 61)
Albrecht Turkish 3-1 Radyukevich CSC (Taylor 18, Soldarian 37; Telemans 42; White 56)
Turks’ Club 3-0 AFC MN Smith (Towle 29, Johnson 45+2, Zelzi 72)
Abiodun North 0-2 El din Marbles (Watson 34, Soro 46)
Larrataff FC 1-0 Stanley SC (Downer 32)
Gamboa FC 3-1 Miranda FC (Trinkl 1, Dobson 60, Hone 64; Towrie 88)
KT Hotspur 3-0 Albrecht FC (Milton 21, Gallagher 23 and 50)
Mayo Valley 1-3 Albrecht Independent FC (Pimenta og 73; Abbott 13, Walsh 14, Kwan 44)
Candelaria-Allemali 0-0 Alvery Blades
~ Replay: Alvery Blades 1-2 Candelaria-Allemali (Kjaer 80; Izzillo og 54, Bradley 84)
Caires Sports 2-1 Green Island (Valinial 63, French 90; Vidakovic 4)

Matchday Sixteen: No pressure, then?

Here’s a brief tangent to chew on. Presumably, managers get to stay in charge of their clubs as long as they remain successful. So, since the eighteen managers/head coaches/first team coaches who started XXIX remain in place, does that mean that it’s working out a-OK for every side in the league?

Clearly that’s a slightly facetious argument, but there’s a cogent point here. It’s hard to see at this stage where the first sacking is going to come from. Managers seem to get longer than ever in this league, and having over half the league involved in global football in future seasons and an eighteen-team division can only make that situation ‘worse’. Many would argue that it shows excellent foresight by the CMSC’s various boardrooms, but you have to wonder if this stance won’t lead to complacency. The likes of Hane Davies, Nico Mason, Andrew Duffy and Andy Woolworth have really been given the chance to form dynasties; but when they’re behind MN Smith and Caires City in the league you really have to wonder where it’s all heading. Yes, it’s ridiculous to make real judgement calls when it’s this impossibly tight; but the modest gap between first and last only means that every single point counts. Perhaps this shouldn’t be the era for long-termism.

Musing over, back to the league. And we really have got ourselves a Super 17 (ugh) matchday to savour, after a handy series of results left us with seven sides looking to share the TQCC and Globe Cup spots around between them. Everyone else, including former TQCC knock-out stagers Green Island and El din Marbles will be watching from the sidelines.

The Marbles’ fate was sealed by a nasty little defeat by Marquez-Onwere; a 4-1 comeback that leaves the naranja guaranteed global football once more. An 8-1-7 record isn’t there to boast about; but you have to applaud Woolworth, who’s always managed to send his side on storming runs after periods spent under a cloud. Don’t rule them out for a title bid, either, based on this performance – finally it seems that the Jack Stafador/Diego Sánchez thing in the centre of the park has come together, Careca’s starting to get his mojo back and, if Woolworth finally loses patience with José Felipe Cassumba Domingos, the likes of Dean Shen and Francisco Gómez have shown almighty talent in his position. Given the way that scouts at MarquezOW’s reserve matches have been drawling over Diego Fernando Pappas, one way or another the C&M national team’s right flank is going to have to thank a Kura-Pellandi manager profusely for many years to come, by the looks of it.

Over in Allemali, where people have slightly more sensible names, Sean Wiacek and Nathan Bornemann (oh well) got the goals in CandelariaAM’s 2-0 win over Port of Clotaire. Surprised? Nope, and why would you be? The Harpies haven’t won a game in a goodly long time, and their hopes seem to be fading. They’ve still got enough youth to know that the future’s bright, but that doesn’t stop the inhabitants of crumbly old Harper Street being thoroughly disappointed with it all. And they’re in seventh. They hate being in seventh.

Never mind. They host MarquezOW next week and could yet be set for a TQCC run. There are only two places available now, both in pre-group qualifying only, with Albrecht Turkish (by dint of their TQCC3 victory, the competition which they won, and lifted the cup in) and Albrecht FC (by dint of being four points ahead of anyone else) already there in the top two once again. Turkish can still qualify by right though; their Super 17 game is at home to Gamboa FC; who warmed up for this by losing 3-1 at home to Cathedral City, the Blouman Johnathan Filmar cutting it from the right and launching a gorgeous hit past Lewis Piccioni in stoppage time to rap things up for the Cats. He’s been one of the stars of the season so far, and would’ve graced the World Cup had the Empire edged out Az-cz in the final reckoning. He may well grace the Champions’ Cup, with Charlie Cunningham’s side travelling to MN Smith for an absolutely huge game. The Smudgers, after all, are still in second despite losing 2-0 to Arrigo Portuguese. Tom Smith got the Hueva’s opener. Let’s hear it for talented Candelariasians called Smith! Us Anglos’ve got t’stick together these days.

Caires City, currently ahead of Catedral on goal difference, travel to Turks’ Club. That’s no great hardship – the Turks lost again this weekend, in the derby against KT Hotspur. That saved Thomas Larson’s job for now, but if they slip back into the bottom three next week it could all be over.

Oh!, isn’t it all just so thrilling, Emily!

Albrecht FC 2-0 Caires City (Amah 37, Fattori 54)
Arrigo Portuguese 2-0 AFC MN Smith (Smith 1, Belling 14)
Caires Sports 2-0 Green Island (French 48, Meakin 58)
Candelaria-Allemali 2-0 Port of Clotaire (Wiacek 69, Bornemann 83)
El din Marbles 1-4 Marquez-Onwere (Watson 12; Stafador 16, Sánchez 17, Torrell-Whyte og 46, Careca 57)
Gamboa FC 1-3 Cathedral City (Sabzvari 63; Taffarel 22, Jobson 34, Filmar 90+4)
McDonald SC 0-2 Albrecht Turkish (Cohen 3 and 6)
Turks’ Club 1-2 KT Hotspur (Zelzi 76; Sattler 35, Tensen 51)
Radyukevich CSC 3-2 Candelaria Arsenal (Ytterland og 5, Ibadella 71, White 90+3; Fields 19 and 61)

D-LEAGUE

Shuukyuu Kishin rocked the D-League with its summer signing of Jeruselem forward Jennifer Sloan. Even though each team in the league is entitled to two players over the salary cap, Kishin announced that they would voluntarily refrain from making a second move in order to afford Sloan. In the end, it turned out to be a good move, as Kishin won the title on the final day by beating Grandborough FC 1-0. They did need help, though, and got it from Port Royal, who downed Yuki City Athletic 2-1 in the National Stadium to capture second place. Both will be back in the TakilQuip Champion's Cup, along with Yuki City Athletic and Aiken City United, as the D-League announced its intention to fill all four of Dancougar's permissable slots in the tournament. The announcement of the Globe Cup has also sparked the league's interest, since it offers more opportunities for players to get top-level experience and international exposure. Takano and America Chuuoushi made the cut there.

Kishin and Port Royal's first foray into international competition met with some success, although both teams agree they've done more than enough travelling to Kura-Pelland now. Both got through the first preliminary round comfortably, but in the second, Kishin fell into a 3-0 hole against Deportivo del Arapucera in the first leg. Playing in front of a rowdy home crowd, Sloan's brilliance got them within striking distance. A goal and an assist brough extra time within each, but Arapucera's 75th minute score gave them a crucial away goal that meant Kishin now needed three to advance. Cameras caught it beautifully, as she exchanged an anxious glance at fellow forward Paul Dinsmoor, as both realized the task before them. Kishin were out, but Port Royal FC fought past Union d’Ourseville and Prangen Greens to reach the group stage, where they finished third on a 2-0-4 record and were eliminated.

Highlights of the regular season include FC Takano 1983's collapse in the last month. In first place with four games to go, they could only muster one point from the final four and finished sixth. Frustration for goalkeeper Nick Lechman, whose defense disintegrated and left him with more than he could handle. Lyle Dylandy, hailed as the next great Dancougar Black Wing, helped guide Sporting Kildare from the bottom of the league table to ninth with five goals and twelve assists, which accounted for almost all of the team's offense - it was their defense, best in the league, which surprised everyone. Jennifer Sloan's debut included two hat tricks, one against Raymaley in a 6-2 romp, and another in a 5-0 thrashing of Aiken City. She had twenty two goals on the season for Kishin - not a shabby total, but the league leader was Port Royal's Dan Potts, smarting after an omission from the national team in favor of foreign-based players. Potts lit up the net twenty five times, including both goals in the crucial season-ending victory against Yuki City Athletic.

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Shuukyuu Kishin 34 16 9 9 61 42 19 57 TQCC
2 Port Royal FC 34 16 8 10 61 44 17 56 TQCC
3 Yuki City Athletic 34 15 11 8 48 32 16 56 TQCC
4 Aiken City United 34 15 8 11 62 49 13 53 TQCC
5 CF America Chuuoushi 34 14 10 10 49 39 10 52 GLOBE
6 FC Takano 1983 34 14 10 10 42 34 8 52 GLOBE
7 Mizuno no Juuichi 34 13 11 10 45 44 1 50
8 Stoneridge United 34 12 11 11 46 40 6 47
9 Sporting Kildare 34 12 11 11 27 31 -4 47
10 Sporting Lakeport 34 10 16 8 38 36 2 46
11 Port Vigilence FC 34 12 9 13 45 50 -5 45
12 Super Dimension Ogasawara 34 11 9 14 31 38 -7 42
13 King's Eleven Yuki City 34 11 7 16 42 51 -9 40
14 Coraopolis FC 34 11 6 17 37 42 -5 39
15 Eastport United 34 9 11 14 35 49 -14 38
16 Raymaley Athletic 34 9 10 15 38 57 -19 37
17 Grandborough FC 34 8 13 13 29 50 -21 37
18 Dynamo Kalinsk 34 10 6 18 37 45 -8 36


COLLEGE FOOTBALL: REGULAR SEASON

Hazuki State were back, winning the Hazuki CPL title for the first time in five years in dominating fashion. Forward Kano Saito may not be the next Hideo Ikeda, but he scored fifteen goals in the sixteen-game campaign to lead the team to a national #1 ranking. National champs Keats Island University also defended their conference title, but their scoring output was almost half what it was the previous year, suggesting that defending the national title would be a much harder task. The University of Gilderome, though, unranked runners-up the previous year, racked up eleven wins to comfortably win the Gilderome River Conference. Other familiar faces at the top of league tables include Pollock, Akasaka, and Barynsk.

Yuki Collegiate Premier League: (#7) Dancougar Royal Academy (9-4-1, 33/16)
Kishin Delta Collegiate Premier League: (#11) Nara College (10-1-5, 26/17), (#14) Port Royal University (9-4-3, 24/15), Gabthley University (8-4-4, 27/17)
Shiba Valley Conference: Pembrooke Academy (7-2-5, 23/18)
Coastal Plains Conference: (#10) Pollock College (8-4-2, 21/11), Hinata Academy (7-2-5, 25/18)
Hazuki Collegiate Premier League: (#1) Hazuki State University (11-2-3, 37/19)
Big Northeast Football Conference: (#25) Muddy Banks State College (7-5-2, 26/16)
Shinobu Valley Conference: Reyes Academy (6-6-2, 14/10)
Helmut Collegiate Premier League: (#23) Granger Island College (8-5-1, 25/13)
South Central Conference: (#2) University of Shikibu (11-2-3, 37/20), (#16) Leona College (7-6-3, 32/21)
Red River Conference: (#24) Waugaman City College (7-4-3, 21/11)
Big West Conference: (#9) Eastern Desugaia University (9-3-4, 28/11), (#19) University of Desugaia (9-3-4, 28/11), Friedmann College (7-7-2, 19/10)
Lunarossa Collegiate Premier League: (#8) Negley Run Academy (9-4-2, 30/20), (#20) University of Lunarossa (8-4-3, 32/20), Neville Island State College (7-5-3, 30/26)
Big North Conference: (#6) Kotetsu Tech (10-3-3, 22/14)
Metro East Football Conference: Doherty College (8-1-5, 20/16)
Igor Valley Conference: (#3) Barynsk College (11-1-2, 31/12)
Big East Conference: (#15) Masaharu College (10-1-3, 29/17), (#17) University of Fujiwara (8-4-2, 25/11), (#18) Konoha Academy (6-6-2, 37/18)
Shapiro Collegiate Premier League: (#22) Bremley College (8-3-3, 27/17), Shapiro State University (6-5-3, 27/22)
Kishin Plains Conference: (#12) University of Shiba (8-4-2, 29/14)
Kotaru Collegiate Premier League: (#5) Akasaka University (10-1-3, 29/7), Okinomiya Academy (7-3-4, 28/22)
Gilderome River Conference: (#4) University of Gilderome (11-2-3, 31/20), Concannon College (8-4-4, 26/15)
Northern Plains Conference: Gilderome State University (7-4-5, 23/19)
Shikibu Collegiate Premier League: (#13) Monagham State College (9-3-2, 31/15), Stoddart-McLean College (7-4-3, 20/15)
Sullivan Collegiate Premier League: (#21) Glassport City College (9-4-3, 27/16), Sullivan State University (8-4-4, 26/16), University of Sullivan (6-7-3, 20/15)
Keats Island Collegiate Premier League: Keats Island University (9-3-4, 25/17)


COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SPRING TOURNAMENT

Hinata Academy, the last team in to be elected to the field of 40, was a controversial addition to the tournament, but many critics were eventually forced to concede that there probably wasn't anyone better left. Hinata did the committe justice by seeing off first-timers Okinomiya 4-0 on aggregate. Lunarossa survived a scare after being taken to penalties in the second leg against Sullivan State, and Konoha were seen off by unfancied Stoddart-McLean quite comfortably, 5-1.

At-Large Round
(#20) University of Lunarossa 4-4 Sullivan State University
Concannon College 4-1 University of Sullivan
(#14) Port Royal University 2-4 (#17) University of Fujiwara
Gabthley University 4-3 (#19) University of Desugaia
Okinomiya Academy 0-4 Hinata Academy
Shapiro State University 2-1 (#16) Leona College
Friedmann College 3-4 Neville Island State College
(#18) Konoha Academy 1-5 Stoddart-McLean College


Barynsk immediately established itself as a favorite by crushing Pollock College by scores of 5-2 and 3-0, but the Dancougar Royal Academy were also firing on all cylinders. Keats Island were picked apart by Kotetsu Tech, and the champions were out. More surprising was that the random draw for the conference round ended up pairing #1 Hazuki State with #2 University of Shikibu and #4 University of Gilderome with #5 Akasaka University. The fans were treated to some incredible football, but did it come too early?

Conference Round
(#25) Muddy Banks State College 5-0 (#12) University of Shiba
(#24) Waugaman City College 3-5 (#22) Bremley College
Hinata Academy 3-5 Gilderome State University
(#3) Barynsk College 8-2 (#10) Pollock College
(#8) Negley Run Academy 5-3 Gabthley University
(#11) Nara College 2-1 (#23) Granger Island College
(#20) University of Lunarossa 0-2 (#15) Masaharu College
(#9) Eastern Desugaia University 2-2 Neville Island State College
Shapiro State University 2-1 (#13) Monagham State College
(#5) Akasaka University 2-3 (#4) University of Gilderome
Pembrooke Academy 4-3 Doherty College
(#7) Dancougar Royal Academy 7-3 Stoddart-McLean College
(#2) University of Shikibu 3-4 (#1) Hazuki State University
Keats Island University 1-7 (#6) Kotetsu Tech
Reyes Academy 2-1 (#21) Glassport City College
(#17) University of Fujiwara 0-1 Concannon College


Hazuki State joined the ranks of number-ones to go out of the tournament early, as they were upended by Concannon. The Royal Academy continued its rampage, but the Barynsk offense dried up against Pembrooke. One of the biggest treats, though, was the pairing of Gilderome State and Gilderome U - they may play in different conferences, but there was a derby atmosphere surrounding each leg. The better team won in the end, but some might say that the bigger winner was the tournament itself.

Construction Hut Sweet Sixteen
Gilderome State University 2-4 (#4) University of Gilderome
(#8) Negley Run Academy 5-3 (#25) Muddy Banks State College
(#1) Hazuki State University 2-3 Concannon College
(#22) Bremley College 6-2 (#15) Masaharu College
Shapiro State University 2-1 (#11) Nara College
(#3) Barynsk College 1-3 Pembrooke Academy
(#7) Dancougar Royal Academy 5-2 (#9) Eastern Desugaia University
(#6) Kotetsu Tech 3-6 Reyes Academy


Now it was the Royal Academy's turn to run try, taken down by Reyes Academy and stellar goalkeeper Charlie Hughart. The seeded teams dropped like fliles, with only Gilderome remaining at the conclusion of the round.

Quarterfinals
(#7) Dancougar Royal Academy 3-7 Reyes Academy
Concannon College 5-2 Shapiro State University
Pembrooke Academy 5-4 (#8) Negley Run Academy
(#22) Bremley College 1-4 (#4) University of Gilderome


Dustin Garbett single-handedly took Gilderome into the final, scoring all three of his team's goals in a 3-2 aggregate win over scrappy Reyes Academy. Their opponents would be the Pembrooke Academy, winners over Concannon thanks to a dramatic 83rd minute goal in the return leg.

Semifinals
Concannon College 1-2 Pembrooke Academy
(#4) University of Gilderome 3-2 Reyes Academy


Would the Grand Final live up to its name? Decidedly not. While both teams were willing to throw attackers forward, the defenses were too tight to break through. There were no startling runs or arching crosses into the box... no moments of brilliance from either side. After ninety minutes, they were scoreless, and this only signalled a further drop-off in the pace of the game. Neither wanted to concede the vital goal, which meant risk control, which meant another thirty minutes of football without spirit. It was the first scoreless final, and in penalties, Gilderome won the lottery to become national champions.

Collegiate Grand Final
Pembrooke Academy 0-0 (#4) University of Gilderome


Gilderome is the first team to make it to the championship game two years in a row, and their victory maintains that every college champion in the tournament era has come from a different conference. Their next big challenge - international play! They are slated to appear in an invitational hosted by the AFF, along with Riestre University of Vephrall and host Ad'ihan's Hatton College of Medicine.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DELL VIPER'S DRAFT BOARD

Top prospects for this summer's D-League Super Draft...

Forwards
1. Lenny Maciarello
2. Blaine Culverhouse
3. Augustine Dennin
4. Todd Gaete
5. Kano Saito
6. Oscar Mylar
7. Ryuichi Yamazaki
8. Mel Rexford
9. Albert Williver
10. Garrett Kirmer
11. Rickey Roades
12. Timothy Faulkingham
13. Dai Yamane
14. Dustin Garbett
15. Albert Liddy

Midfielders
1. Gus Brittain
2. Tetsuo Kawaguchi
3. Wayne Panfil
4. Aaron Sundling
5. Irvin Hudson
6. Yukio Tanaka
7. Maxwell Brownell
8. Jared Matthews
9. Shigekazu Hayashi
10. Colby Rybolt
11. Leonard Wolfgramm
12. Norman Callis
13. Brandon Bellshaw
14. Ed Klingensmith
15. Yutaka Abe

Defenders
1. Ron Grasman
2. Clay Douyon
3. Fritz Heckendorf
4. Chad Fey
5. Jiro Ieyasu
6. August Ohjanen
7. Freddy Lamper
8. Buster Wiltz
9. Joseph Cecilia
10. Walter Culton
11. Lee Hogle
12. Ren Hideaki
13. Yuuta Raikatuji
14. Jake Gough
15. Damion Mofield

Goalkeepers
1. Heath Vaccarino
2. Luke Brengle
3. Charlie Hughart
4. Derek Greenmyer
5. Bernard Hosterman
6. Anthony Monette
7. Shouta Nanami
8. Leo Shaddock

Globo Multimedia and Banco Econômico proposes...

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/2108/globecupfh8.png

THE GLOBE CUP
A complementary tournament to the TakilQuip Champions Cup

Globo Multimedia and Banco Econômico, the two biggest companies of Cafundéu, are willing to support a new international domestic tournament. This tournament would be a complementary one for the TQCC, which would continue being the main one for the teams from all around the world.

The Globe Cup, as the idea is being called, would have initially as competitors up to two teams from which country that decides to participate. But one rule is essential when choosing those teams: they cannot participate in the TQCC at the same time. Each Globe Cup would be linked with an edition of the TQCC, and the teams that start the Globe Cup can't be in this edition of the TQCC. Later, teams eliminated in the first stages of the TQCC would gain entrance to the Globe Cup.

Also, countries would be able to submit stadiums for hosting the final of the competition. As a deal with the sponsors, the first edition's final would be played in the Obelisco Monumental, in Lasft. But for the other editions the stadium would be chosen in a draw.

We hope to receive enough interest and support.

(OOC: this is a proposal for a UEFA Cup-like competition, which would be scorinated at the same time of the TakilQuip Champions Cup. If you're interested, send us up to 2 teams to participate. Note that they cannot be chosen to participate in the next edition of the TQCC too. The sign-ups deadline would be the same of the TQCC's one)

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

COMPETITION DETAILS - FORMAT AND SCHEDULE:

- this schedule was made according to the 80-teams schedule of the TQCC. If the TQCC has less participating teams, it'd have to be changed.

(also, if more than 44 teams sign-up, the same rule of the TQCC will be applied to remove some teams from it)

First phase - First Eliminatory Stage: 20 teams will participate in the first phase of the Globe Cup, which are the teams that have conquered the qualification for the Globe Cup in the worst positions (as each country can send up to 2 teams, the criteria is the following: the worst positioned team in each of the lowest-ranked 20 leagues that have qualified for the Globe Cup). No teams from the TQCC will enter in this stage. A draw will decide the 10 games of this qualifying stage. Home and away games, the winner teams going to the next stage.

Second phase - Second Eliminatory Stage: the 10 winners of the 1st phase will join the remaining 24 teams that signed up for the Globe Cup. 17 groups of 2 teams, home and away games, winners go to the next phase. (still no TQCC teams).

Third phase - Third Eliminatory Stage: the 17 winner teams of the second eliminatory stage join the 31 eliminated teams from the second and third eliminatory stages of the TQCC (the teams eliminated in the first eliminatory stage of the TQCC are also out of the Globe Cup). These 48 teams will be distributed in 24 groups of 2 (this means a knockout round). Home and away games, the winner teams going to the next stage.

Fourth phase - Group Stage: the 24 winners of the second phase join the 8 third placed teams of the TQCC group stage. These 32 teams will be distributed in 8 groups of 4. Home and away games. Top two from each group go for the next phase.

Fifth phase - Oitavas-de-final: the 16 teams are distributed in two pots for the knockout stage draw: one pot with the first placed teams and other with the second placed ones. Home and away games, the winners going to the next phase.

Sixth phase - Quarterfinals: the games of this phase follow the draw made for the oitavas-de-final (which would also decide the future games for the next stages). 4 groups of 2 teams. Home and away games. Winners go to the semifinals.

Seventh phase - Semifinals: the knockout stages continue. Home and away games. Winners go to the Final.

Eighth phase - Final: the 2 remaining teams face each other in a single game. Winner wins the Globe Cup!

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b68/NSLE/NationStates/adihanleague.png
Preseason News Snippets

AFF Club rankings announced
The latest set of club rankings issued by the Ad'ihan Football Federation (AFF) has been released. It takes into account a team's league and cup performances over the past three seasons. As the format of the cup was changed last season, the system used to calculate ranking points gained from the AFF Cup has also been modified.

Protectorate Utd, which lost its league title to Olympqiue Protectorat after winning the first three editions, also lost its lead at the top of the league rankings for the first time ever. Furthermore, l'OP extended its lead in the overall rankings over their rivals from 0.08 points to 1.95 points. In fact, Protectorate Utd fell out of the top two altogether as Oldbridge City's strong cup run which saw them lift the AFF Cup propelled them into second place.

AFF Club rankings – overall
Rank Team Points
1 Olympique Protectorat 16.0970
2 Oldbridge City 14.8362
3 Protectorate United 14.1452
4 CF Mont Pluie 11.8408
5 Flitton City 11.0439
6 Dullham and Oldbridge FC 10.9768
7 Hatton Town FC 10.1324
8 AFC Hatton 9.8995
9 Djei Sporting Club 9.8712
10 Grand Arsenal FC 9.7277
11 South Barrier United 9.5820
12 T'chéy Park FC 9.4531
13 Tallyn Rovers FC 9.4128
14 Kinney Road FC 9.3042
15 Dalinn Wanderers 9.2267
16 Island Athletic FC 9.2163
17 County Stanley FC 9.1851
18 Mountbatten Junction FC 9.1812
19 Navon Beach FC 8.9398
20 Pilminster Rovers 8.7508
21 Northtown United 8.4571
22 Southcast Town 8.0414
23 Altsend FC 7.9945
24 Flitton Rangers 5.8842

Ranking points given to four decimals

AFF club rankings – League points

Rank Team Points
1 Olympique Protectorat 10.7843
2 Protectorate United 10.4928
3 CF Mont Pluie 9.9827
4 Oldbridge City 9.2541
5 AFC Hatton 8.8611
6 Mountbatten Junction FC 7.8696
7 Grand Arsenal FC 7.7603
8 Kinney Road FC 7.6510
9 Navon Beach FC 7.6146
10 Flitton City 7.5053
11 County Stanley FC 7.4090
12 Dalinn Wanderers 7.2867
13 Island Athletic FC 6.9484
14 Dullham and Oldbridge FC 6.7141
15 Tallyn Rovers FC 6.4617
16 Djei Sporting Club 6.4123
17 T'chéy Park FC 6.3745
18 Hatton Town FC 6.3160
19 South Barrier United 6.0479
20 Northtown United 6.0115
21 Pilminster Rovers 5.6836
22 Altsend FC 5.1527
23 Flitton Rangers 4.9006
24 Southcast Town 4.6257

Ranking points given to four decimals

University Third Division expanded
The AFF today announced that four more universities would be joining the University Third Division, bringing the total number of schools participating to 12 and total number of teams to 24.

Navon Beach University, Frontier College, Altsend Southern University and L'Uni Dz’ai, which pulled out of the first Third Division season, will all send two teams each for season five. The four schools join University Grand Island, Stanley College, Dullham Technological University, City of Ad’ihan University, Hatton College of Medicine, Technological Institute at Hatton, Technological Institute at Dalinn and Flitton University already in the competition.

The 24 teams will continue to play in two groups of 12 — with one team from each school in each group — and each team will play each other team in its group twice (22 games).

As the University Cup is being introduced in season 5, there will not be an extended playoff format for the league. Instead, the two group winners will play each other for the university championship. If both group winners come from the same school, that school will be crowned university football champions without the need for a final.

The twelve schools will also play in the inaugural University Cup, with each school fielding only one team in the cup. This can be either of their league teams or a select combination of players from the two teams. The cup tournament will be held after the league season.

Each team will be randomly drawn to face any of the other teams in the first round. Matches are played over 90 minutes and, if needed, penalties. The six winners qualify for the quarter finals. The six losers will be drawn into two repêchage groups of three, with a single round-robin taking place. The two repêchage winners join the six other quarterfinalists in a straight knockout tournament.

Cafundeu I like your vision, so I support this idea, and of course I want to start in globe cup as well

http://www.thirdgeek.com/ns/logos/seriesbcc/
Samseong Series B Champions’ Cup

To complement the existing TakilQuip Champions’ Cup and Globe Cup, the TQCC’s organizers present the Series B Champions’ Cup, sponsored by Han company Samseong. The SBCC will pit the top teams of second-tier leagues around the world against each other in a TQCC-like format. Along with the trophy and cash prize, the winner will receive a chance to play the winners of the TakilQuip Champions’ Cup and Globe Cup in the three-team 1093 Bière Super Cup.

Like the Globe Cup, the SBCC will be held alongside the TQCC, twice per World Cup. Each association is permitted four entries in the SBCC, using the same entry procedure as the TQCC—list your qualifiers (in order) in a post in this thread. Teams participating in the TQCC or Globe Cup during the same season are ineligible for the SBCC.

http://www.thirdgeek.com/ns/logos/eliteleague/

2147–2148 transfer window
Yuba United made headlines in a relatively quiet transfer window by making two major acquisitions, Charlie Edwards and Gwaŋ Hyo-gyo, to bolster the struggling squad. League Two side Jamaica Giants also opened their checkbook, with the four-time Bedistani league champions signing rising talent Alvin James from New Hampton in a bid to regain some of their former glory.

Legend: Jasīʼyūn international (WC41), Capitalizt SLANI international (WC41), Sokojito and Sokojiʼwa international (OC5)

Charlie Edwards (DL, Lexington FC) → Yuba United for 560.0 kg Au
Gwaŋ Hyo-gyo (DC, Medoria Löwen) → Yuba United for 301.9 kg Au
Alvin James (FC, New Hampton Terrapins) → Jamaica Giants for 300.8 kg Au
Beverly Barker (DR, Lexington FC) → Heidelstadt Falken for 234.4 kg Au
Andrew Lawson (FC, Cordubovica Falcons) → Dusanto Mojaʼikījī for 223.3 kg Au
Marc Atkinson (MC, Carter FC) → Black Oasis Athletic for 218.6 kg Au
Jorja Logambina (GK, San Solari FC) → Black Oasis Athletic for 207.5 kg Au
Gwon Hoŋ-il (MC, ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī) → Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK for 168.5 kg Au

CEL qualifying rules for international competition
As the Capitalizt Élite League is held twice as often as international club competitions, qualification is determined over a two-season qualifying period. The current qualifying period, for 2150 competitions, consists of the 2148 and 2149 seasons.

Qualification for the TakilQuip Champions’ Cup and Series B Champions’ Cup is determined by interleaving the tables of the two qualifying seasons—e.g., the teams in the table for 2150 qualifying are the 2149 champion, then the 2148 champion, then the 2149 runner-up, et cetera. From the interleaved table, the top two teams from each association qualify, as well as the next four highest-placed teams. For the Series B Champions’ Cup, promoted teams’ position in the CEL is disregarded; they are treated as if they finished last in League Two in the second season of qualifying.

For the Globe Cup, the winners of the TechConGroup Cup and Jasīʼyūn Kūb in each season will qualify. If a cup winner has qualified for the TQCC, the team they beat in the final will qualify in their place. If the same team wins a cup in both seasons of the qualifying period, the runner-up in the second season will take precedence over the runner-up in the first season. If neither a cup winner nor runner-up is available to fill a spot, the League Cup winners and runners-up will be next in line, followed by the highest-placed available team in the CEL interleaved table; these situations would allow an association to enter more than two teams.

2148 Capitalizt Élite League—final standings
The familiar duo of Sonoma Center and Yuba headed up the table, with a sizable advantage accruing to the Anaphasian club in the final weeks. Though they secured fourth place, Aeropag Penguins were shafted out of clinching Champions’ Cup football in 2150, since there is a small chance that they could be skipped over in order to include the requisite two teams from Jasīʼyūn. Qidade Savana, used to battling at the other end of the table, wound up in the relegation zone when their Takilan tactics backfired.
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Sonoma Center Panthers COM 34 23 3 8 77 45 32 72 Champions/TQCC
2 Yuba United COM 34 18 8 8 47 28 19 62 TQCC
3 Medoria Löwen COM 34 16 10 8 56 49 7 58 TQCC
4 Aeropag Penguins COM 34 16 7 11 50 46 4 55
5 Noka Mariners JSY 34 16 6 12 44 39 5 54
6 Dusanto Mojaʼikījī JSY 34 16 5 13 53 45 8 53
7 San Solari FC COM 34 14 6 14 48 49 -1 48
8 Carter FC JSY 34 14 5 15 49 53 -4 47
9 San Diego Iguanas COM 34 12 10 12 51 48 3 46
10 Black Oasis Athletic COM 34 12 9 13 43 45 -2 45
11 South Coast United JSY 34 12 9 13 44 42 2 45
12 High Mountain Buffalo JSY 34 11 11 12 40 38 2 44
13 New Haverford Albion JSY 34 11 9 14 41 54 -13 42
14 Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK COM 34 11 8 15 45 51 -6 41
15 Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen COM 34 12 4 18 50 62 -12 40
16 Heidelstadt Falken JSY 34 11 6 17 46 55 -9 39 Relegated
17 Qidade Savana JSY 34 9 7 18 63 77 -14 34 Relegated
18 Jackson FC COM 34 6 9 19 31 52 -21 27 Relegated

Élite League Two
The alluring prospect of playing in the Capitalizt Élite League and Series B Champions’ Cup led to tight competition in the new second tier. Though the Demons ran away with the title at the end, the battle for SBCC places went down to the wire, with former TQCC side Lexington FC eventually securing one. Syoko was spared the excitement of battling to enter the SBCC, as they had already qualified for the Globe Cup by meeting Medoria in the TechConGroup Cup final. Naquada Falls also booked a Globe Cup entry by winning the Jasīʼyūn Kūb.
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Naquada Falls Demons JSY 34 22 8 4 74 29 45 74 Promoted/Globe Cup
2 KQ Nepáïire Tingitana COM 34 18 7 9 57 37 20 61 Promoted/SBCC
3 Sokojito Dosi Dalamjwijī JSY 34 15 12 7 35 24 11 57 Promoted/SBCC
4 Lexington FC JSY 34 16 7 11 49 35 14 55 SBCC
5 New Hampton Terrapins JSY 34 15 10 9 47 39 8 55
6 Syoko Poggyūggijī COM 34 13 16 5 23 13 10 55 Globe Cup
7 Ἄργος ΛΠ COM 34 15 9 10 42 38 4 54
8 Cordubovica Falcons COM 34 14 8 12 56 45 11 50
9 Dawson Springs FC COM 34 11 17 6 24 17 7 50
10 Jamaica Giants JSY 34 11 13 10 38 34 4 46
11 Natestadt Nationalisten COM 34 10 13 11 24 27 -3 43
12 Humai Titans JSY 34 12 5 17 31 49 -18 41
13 Querzakhi United COM 34 8 16 10 33 37 -4 40
14 Griffin Zebras JSY 34 8 15 11 31 40 -9 39
15 Silto Dosi ʼYasāŋmajī JSY 34 8 9 17 25 40 -15 33
16 Seansburgh Cougars COM 34 8 7 19 30 51 -21 31
17 Alexandria Porcupines JSY 34 3 13 18 13 35 -22 22 Relegated
18 ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī COM 34 2 9 23 21 63 -42 15 Relegated

Élite League Three
League Three North
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Graceville Salamanders JSY 34 20 9 5 51 24 27 69 Promoted
2 Lisda Lokado Goji Salamjī JSY 34 15 16 3 43 20 23 61
3 Lolestu CK COM 34 17 9 8 39 20 19 60
4 Laniuq Explorers COM 34 16 11 7 41 24 17 59
5 Sonoma City Volcanoes COM 34 16 9 9 67 54 13 57
6 Nyendoli ʼYoŋjī JSY 34 13 12 9 37 26 11 51
7 Keto Lodīlūnajī JSY 34 13 11 10 66 54 12 50
8 SV Pößneck COM 34 14 7 13 50 48 2 49
9 KQ Sirto COM 34 13 10 11 52 52 0 49
10 Forest Hill FC JSY 34 12 12 10 35 30 5 48
11 Musketiere Twintown JSY 34 11 11 12 40 35 5 44
12 Penbulg Donʼujī JSY 34 10 11 13 60 66 -6 41
13 Ari FC COM 34 10 10 14 49 52 -3 40
14 Teʼyaçu Joŋlyugijī COM 34 9 12 13 37 46 -9 39
15 Cambridge Pioniere COM 34 11 5 18 49 61 -12 38
16 Eastfield Rogues JSY 34 9 7 18 44 61 -17 34 Relegated
17 Kyodoli Gyūlhabdwen JSY 34 7 5 22 36 71 -35 26 Relegated
18 KQ Internepáïire COM 34 3 7 24 37 89 -52 16 Relegated

League Three South
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Kagoshima Phoenix COM 34 20 7 7 57 25 32 67 Promoted
2 Lexington Firefoxes COM 34 20 6 8 78 35 43 66
3 St Raphael B’ing Bishops JSY 34 17 11 6 43 23 20 62
4 Werd Beachcombers COM 34 15 11 8 47 36 11 56
5 Sūŋja Pitūs Gyūlhabdwen JSY 34 13 14 7 37 28 9 53
6 Eintracht Maastricht JSY 34 14 9 11 61 52 9 51
7 Πόρτο-Χε Δολοφόνοι COM 34 12 12 10 42 35 7 48
8 Südtolzerio Kreuzfahrer JSY 34 14 5 15 38 36 2 47
9 Dennis Bears COM 34 9 19 6 22 21 1 46
10 Scarab Inferno COM 34 12 8 14 50 53 -3 44
11 Kitsilano Konquerors COM 34 11 8 15 28 31 -3 41
12 Commerce Heights T’birds COM 34 11 6 17 50 63 -13 39
13 SpVgg Tolzerio COM 34 9 12 13 26 34 -8 39
14 Midway Wolves COM 34 10 6 18 30 46 -16 36
15 Floral FC JSY 34 10 6 18 42 67 -25 36
16 Jonloli Gyūlhabdwen COM 34 8 12 14 36 44 -8 36 Relegated
17 Kaiwu Mavericks JSY 34 8 9 17 33 50 -17 33 Relegated
18 Portland Safari JSY 34 7 11 16 36 77 -41 32 Relegated

Élite League Four winners
League 4/A: Accola Eagles (COM)
League 4/B: SV Sorastadt (JSY)
League 4/C: Navarre Town (COM)
League 4/D: Eintracht Südtolzerio (COM)
League 4/E: Chorion Bluffs Knights (COM)
League 4/F: RKA Warriors (COM)

Élite League Cup
Third Round
(L3S) Floral FC 1–2 Dawson Springs FC (EL2)
(L3S) Commerce Heights T’birds 0–3 Querzakhi United (EL2)
(L3S) St Raphael B’ing Bishops 1–2 High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)
(4/C) Sayle FC 0–7 San Solari FC (CEL)
(CEL) Black Oasis Athletic 3–1 Laniuq Explorers (L3N)
(L3S) SpVgg Tolzerio 0–0 Medoria Löwen (CEL)
(EL2) Griffin Zebras 1–0 Columbia Sharks (4/F)
(4/D) Port-au-Honey Hive 0–3 Yuba United (CEL)
(L3N) Lolestu CK 1–1 Florence Opera (4/F)
(EL2) KQ Nepáïire Tingitana 5–2 Goʼyaŋ CK (4/A)
(L3N) KQ Sirto 0–1 Noka Mariners (CEL)
(4/E) Tallahassee Blues 1–1 Forest Hill FC (L3N)
(L3N) Ari FC 3–3 Cordubovica Falcons (EL2)
(L3S) Eintracht Maastricht 4–1 Musketiere Twintown (L3N)
(EL2) Natestadt Nationalisten 4–1 Altera Griffins (4/D)
(CEL) Aeropag Penguins 5–1 Südtolzerio Kreuzfahrer (L3S)
(CEL) South Coast United 1–0 New Haverford Albion (CEL)
(EL2) ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī 1–0 Humai Titans (EL2)
(CEL) Jackson FC 0–0 Jamaica Giants (EL2)
(EL2) Ἄργος ΛΠ 2–3 RKA Warriors (4/F)
(CEL) Carter FC 0–1 Graceville Salamanders (L3N)
(L3S) Werd Beachcombers 1–3 Silto Dosi ʼYasāŋmajī (EL2)
(CEL) Heidelstadt Falken 2–3 Qidade Savana (CEL)
(4/B) FC Roliger 0–1 Kagoshima Phoenix (L3S)
(EL2) Sokojito Dosi Dalamjwijī 6–1 Cambridge Pioniere (L3N)
(L3N) SV Pößneck 1–2 Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen (CEL)
(CEL) Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK 3–5 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)
(L3S) Πόρτο-Χε Δολοφόνοι 0–1 Naquada Falls Demons (EL2)
(EL2) New Hampton Terrapins 1–1 Accola Eagles (4/A)
(CEL) San Diego Iguanas 2–0 SV Hijah (4/B)
(4/C) Pine Village FC 1–3 Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (CEL)
(EL2) Seansburgh Cougars 1–1 DCY Senagado (4/C)

Third Round Replays
(CEL) Medoria Löwen 4–2 SpVgg Tolzerio (L3S)
(4/F) Florence Opera 1–1 Lolestu CK (L3N)
Extra time: 1–2
(L3N) Forest Hill FC 1–1 Tallahassee Blues (4/E)
Extra time: 1–1
Penalty kicks: 1–3
(EL2) Cordubovica Falcons 0–1 Ari FC (L3N)
(EL2) Jamaica Giants 1–3 Jackson FC (CEL)
(4/A) Accola Eagles 1–3 New Hampton Terrapins (EL2)
(4/C) DCY Senagado 2–1 Seansburgh Cougars (EL2)

Fourth Round
(EL2) Dawson Springs FC 0–0 Querzakhi United (EL2)
(CEL) High Mountain Buffalo 1–1 San Solari FC (CEL)
(CEL) Black Oasis Athletic 0–2 Medoria Löwen (CEL)
(EL2) Griffin Zebras 0–3 Yuba United (CEL)
(L3N) Lolestu CK 2–2 KQ Nepáïire Tingitana (EL2)
(CEL) Noka Mariners 1–0 Tallahassee Blues (4/E)
(L3N) Ari FC 3–5 Eintracht Maastricht (L3S)
(EL2) Natestadt Nationalisten 1–1 Aeropag Penguins (CEL)
(CEL) South Coast United 2–0 ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī (EL2)
(CEL) Jackson FC 2–1 RKA Warriors (4/F)
(L3N) Graceville Salamanders 1–1 Silto Dosi ʼYasāŋmajī (EL2)
(CEL) Qidade Savana 2–1 Kagoshima Phoenix (L3S)
(EL2) Sokojito Dosi Dalamjwijī 1–3 Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen (CEL)
(CEL) Sonoma Center Panthers 3–1 Naquada Falls Demons (EL2)
(EL2) New Hampton Terrapins 0–3 San Diego Iguanas (CEL)
(CEL) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī 6–2 DCY Senagado (4/C)

Fourth Round Replays
(EL2) Querzakhi United 0–1 Dawson Springs FC (EL2)
(CEL) San Solari FC 1–2 High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)
(EL2) KQ Nepáïire Tingitana 1–1 Lolestu CK (L3N)
Extra time: 1–2
(CEL) Aeropag Penguins 1–0 Natestadt Nationalisten (EL2)
(EL2) Silto Dosi ʼYasāŋmajī 0–1 Graceville Salamanders (L3N)

Fifth Round
(EL2) Dawson Springs FC 2–1 High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)
(CEL) Medoria Löwen 0–1 Yuba United (CEL)
(L3N) Lolestu CK 0–0 Noka Mariners (CEL)
(L3S) Eintracht Maastricht 4–2 Aeropag Penguins (CEL)
(CEL) South Coast United 1–3 Jackson FC (CEL)
(L3N) Graceville Salamanders 1–1 Qidade Savana (CEL)
(CEL) Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen 3–5 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)
(CEL) San Diego Iguanas 2–1 Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (CEL)

Fifth Round Replays
(CEL) Noka Mariners 3–1 Lolestu CK (L3N)
(CEL) Qidade Savana 1–1 Graceville Salamanders (L3N)
Extra time: 2–2
Penalty kicks: 3–2

Quarterfinals
(EL2) Dawson Springs FC 1–0 Yuba United (CEL)
(CEL) Noka Mariners 2–1 Eintracht Maastricht (L3S)
(CEL) Jackson FC 3–3 Qidade Savana (CEL)
(CEL) Sonoma Center Panthers 4–3 San Diego Iguanas (CEL)

Quarterfinal Replay
(CEL) Qidade Savana 3–1 Jackson FC (CEL)

Semifinals
(EL2) Dawson Springs FC 0–2 Noka Mariners (CEL)
(CEL) Qidade Savana 0–2 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)

Final
(CEL) Noka Mariners 2–4 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)

TechConGroup Cup
Third Round
(CEL) San Solari FC 6–0 KQ Qidádire Putemo (—)
(L3S) Dennis Bears 2–1 ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī (EL2)
(4/C) Sayle FC 0–2 Aeropag Penguins (CEL)
(4/A) Goʼyaŋ CK 0–3 Ἄργος ΛΠ (EL2)
(4/D) 1. FC Fredricksburg 0–2 Teʼyaçu Joŋlyugijī (L3N)
(CEL) Sonoma Center Panthers 1–0 Yuba United (CEL)
(4/B) Hundon FC 1–0 Lolestu CK (L3N)
(EL2) Querzakhi United 2–0 Commerce Heights T’birds (L3S)
(L3S) Werd Beachcombers 5–2 Scarab Inferno (L3S)
(L3N) KQ Sirto 2–1 Prontera Bulldogs (4/B)
(4/B) Dalit Säbel 0–2 Kagoshima Phoenix (L3S)
(CEL) Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen 2–0 Chorion Bluffs Knights (4/E)
(4/A) Keto Kanaliʼajī 3–4 Black Oasis Athletic (CEL)
(L3S) Jonloli Gyūlhabdwen 1–1 Accola Eagles (4/A)
Extra time: 2–2
Penalty kicks: 3–4
(4/C) Navarre Town 2–2 KQ Nepáïire Tingitana (EL2)
Extra time: 2–3
(4/A) Dyaçyi ʼYumonminjī 0–1 Kitsilano Konquerors (L3S)
(4/E) SV Veernan 1–4 Lexington Firefoxes (L3S)
(L3S) Midway Wolves 2–2 Laniuq Explorers (L3N)
Extra time: 2–2
Penalty kicks: 0–2
(4/F) Columbia Sharks 2–2 Esto Wanderers (4/E)
Extra time: 3–2
(4/A) Tidus Gaŋçūl 2–1 Seansburgh Cougars (EL2)
(4/D) Eintracht Südtolzerio 2–2 Kainia Marauders (4/A)
Extra time: 2–2
Penalty kicks: 1–2
(4/B) SV Klütz 0–3 Ari FC (L3N)
(4/B) Blauplanet Krieger 1–2 Sonoma City Volcanoes (L3N)
(4/F) Konduli Sanʼyaŋjī 2–2 Cordubovica Falcons (EL2)
Extra time: 3–3
Penalty kicks: 3–1
(CEL) Jackson FC 1–2 Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK (CEL)
(EL2) Natestadt Nationalisten 3–2 San Diego Iguanas (CEL)
(EL2) Dawson Springs FC 0–0 SpVgg Tolzerio (L3S)
Extra time: 0–0
Penalty kicks: 0–2
(—) Rashakhevrat United 0–3 Syoko Poggyūggijī (EL2)
(L3N) Cambridge Pioniere 1–1 SV Pößneck (L3N)
Extra time: 1–1
Penalty kicks: 3–2
(L3N) KQ Internepáïire 1–4 Πόρτo-Χε Δολοφόνοι (L3S)
(4/E) Grotizsch Stiere 1–5 Medoria Löwen (CEL)

Fourth Round
(CEL) San Solari FC 0–1 Dennis Bears (L3S)
(CEL) Aeropag Penguins 3–1 Ἄργος ΛΠ (EL2)
(L3N) Teʼyaçu Joŋlyugijī 2–4 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)
(4/B) Hundon FC 0–3 Querzakhi United (EL2)
(L3S) Werd Beachcombers 0–2 KQ Sirto (L3N)
(L3S) Kagoshima Phoenix 0–3 Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen (CEL)
(CEL) Black Oasis Athletic 1–1 Accola Eagles (4/A)
Extra time: 1–3
(EL2) KQ Nepáïire Tingitana 1–0 Kitsilano Konquerors (L3S)
(L3S) Lexington Firefoxes 4–1 Laniuq Explorers (L3N)
(4/F) Columbia Sharks 1–1 Tidus Gaŋçūl (4/A)
Extra time: 1–1
Penalty kicks: 3–0
(4/A) Kainia Marauders 0–4 Ari FC (L3N)
(L3N) Sonoma City Volcanoes 5–3 Konduli Sanʼyaŋjī (4/F)
(CEL) Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK 1–1 Natestadt Nationalisten (EL2)
Extra time: 2–1
(L3S) SpVgg Tolzerio 1–1 Syoko Poggyūggijī (EL2)
Extra time: 1–1
Penalty kicks: 1–2
(L3N) Cambridge Pioniere 2–0 Πόρτο-Χε Δολοφόνοι (L3S)

Fifth Round
(CEL) Medoria Löwen 3–0 Dennis Bears (L3S)
(CEL) Aeropag Penguins 2–1 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)
(EL2) Querzakhi United 3–1 KQ Sirto (L3N)
(CEL) Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen 3–1 Accola Eagles (4/A)
(EL2) KQ Nepáïire Tingitana 4–2 Lexington Firefoxes (L3S)
(4/F) Columbia Sharks 3–2 Ari FC (L3N)
(L3N) Sonoma City Volcanoes 2–4 Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK (CEL)
(EL2) Syoko Poggyūggijī 4–0 Cambridge Pioniere (L3N)

Quarterfinals
(CEL) Medoria Löwen 4–1 Aeropag Penguins (CEL)
(EL2) Querzakhi United 1–0 Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen (CEL)
(EL2) KQ Nepáïire Tingitana 7–1 Columbia Sharks (4/F)
(CEL) Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK 0–2 Syoko Poggyūggijī (EL2)

Semifinals
(CEL) Medoria Löwen 3–1 Querzakhi United (EL2)
(EL2) KQ Nepáïire Tingitana 0–1 Syoko Poggyūggijī (EL2)

Final
(CEL) Medoria Löwen 2–1 Syoko Poggyūggijī (EL2)

자스연 컵 (Jasīʼyūn Kūb)
Sixth Round
(CEL) New Haverford Albion 3–1 Griffin Zebras (EL2)
(EL2) Griffin Zebras (3) 2–1 (4) New Haverford Albion (CEL)

(CEL) Qidade Savana 1–2 Heidelstadt Falken (CEL)
(CEL) Heidelstadt Falken (5) 3–2 (3) Qidade Savana (CEL)

(EL2) Alexandria Porcupines 1–1 Carter FC (CEL)
(CEL) Carter FC (3) 2–2 (3) Alexandria Porcupines (EL2)
Away goals: 1–2

(L3N) Graceville Salamanders 1–0 Sokojito Dosi Dalamjwijī (EL2)
(EL2) Sokojito Dosi Dalamjwijī (1) 1–1 (2) Graceville Salamanders (L3N)

(EL2) Lexington FC 2–3 Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (CEL)
(CEL) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (6) 3–2 (4) Lexington FC (EL2)

(L3S) Sūŋja Pitūs Gyūlhabdwen 1–0 Keto Lodīlūnajī (L3N)
(L3N) Keto Lodīlūnajī (2) 2–0 (1) Sūŋja Pitūs Gyūlhabdwen (L3S)

(CEL) Noka Mariners 0–1 Naquada Falls Demons (EL2)
(EL2) Naquada Falls Demons (1) 0–0 (0) Noka Mariners (CEL)

(CEL) High Mountain Buffalo 0–0 South Coast United (CEL)
(CEL) South Coast United (2) 2–3 (3) High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)


Quarterfinals
(CEL) New Haverford Albion 1–1 Heidelstadt Falken (CEL)
(CEL) Heidelstadt Falken (4) 3–1 (2) New Haverford Albion (CEL)

(EL2) Alexandria Porcupines 0–0 Graceville Salamanders (L3N)
(L3N) Graceville Salamanders (0) 0–0 (0) Alexandria Porcupines (EL2)
Extra time: 1–0

(CEL) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī 3–2 Keto Lodīlūnajī (L3N)
(L3N) Keto Lodīlūnajī (6) 4–2 (5) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (CEL)

(EL2) Naquada Falls Demons 0–0 High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)
(CEL) High Mountain Buffalo (0) 0–3 (3) Naquada Falls Demons (EL2)


Semifinals
(CEL) Heidelstadt Falken 4–0 Graceville Salamanders (L3N)
(L3N) Graceville Salamanders (0) 0–1 (5) Heidelstadt Falken (CEL)

(L3N) Keto Lodīlūnajī 2–6 Naquada Falls Demons (EL2)
(EL2) Naquada Falls Demons (6) 0–2 (4) Keto Lodīlūnajī (L3N)


Final
(CEL) Heidelstadt Falken 0–0 Naquada Falls Demons (EL2)
(EL2) Naquada Falls Demons (3) 3–0 (0) Heidelstadt Falken (CEL)

The Third official final standings of the Taeshan Soccer Federation*
*Groups listed top to bottom

East Division

Atlantea Hurricanes
Yaton FC
X Island Marauders
Blacklake Blues
Capetown Crocs

North Division

Gieron FC
Laketown Rangers
Tintown Terrapins
Los Riosa Monstas
New Capetown Niffers

West Division

Fadron Flight
Ojian Orangemen
Pariot Pythons
Machrobat Monkeys
Ying Jing Yankees

South Division

Wiechester FC
Bayern Phoenix
Docktown Deathdogs
Taeshan City Miners
Wolfin Wolves

Playoffs(pool Play)

Group 1
Wiechester 4-1 Ojian
Gieron 3-1 Yaton
Wiechester 2-2 Gieron
Ojian 1-2 Yaton
Wiechester 1-0 Yaton
Gieron 3-1 Ojian
Wiechester, and Gieron Advance
Group 2
Bayern 7-4 Fadron
Atlantea 3-0 Laketown
Bayern 2-2 Atlantea
Fadron 3-2 Laketown
Bayern 2-0 Laketown
Atlantea 3-0 Fadron
Atlantea, andBayern advance

Semifinals
Gieron 1-0 Atlantea
Atlantea 2-0 Gieron

Wiechester 3-1 Bayern
Bayern 2-2 Wiechester

3rd Place game Gieron 3-0 Bayern

Championship
Atlantea 1-0 Wiechester

Atlantea takes back its championship

TSF Division 2

Kosovoe Division

Fleetwood FC
Port Kosovoe Heat
Airtown Force
Alastor Maestos
Uring United

Taeshan Division

Reynea Raptors
Real Chinchinhua
Norton United
FC Cracken
Greenville Glory

Quaterfinals
Fleetwood 3-1 Alastor
Port Kosovoe 1-2 Airtown

Reynea 1-0 FC
Real 5-2 Norton

Semifinals
Fleetwood 1-2 Airtown

Reynea 0-1 Real

3rd Place
Fleetwood 2-1 Reynea

Championship

Real 3-1 Airtown

Real Chinchinhua and Airtown advance to Globes
Atlantea Hurricanes, Wiechester FC, Gieron FC, and Bayern Phoenix TQCC

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b68/NSLE/NationStates/adihanleague.png
Season Five: Season recap

Foreign transfer activity

The Ad’ihani league's first-ever foreign player, the Starblaydi-born Chen Myung-bo, has left his club CF Mont-Pluie by mutual consent. He has signed on a free transfer with Dalinn Wanderers, the club managed by the only foreign manager in the league, Valanora's Devida Cal.

Meanwhile, Kieran Ó Branagáin, the Ad’ihan national team striker who was born in Sorthern Northland, has been told by the UIL Executive Committee that he is not considered a foreign player and hence his team, Oldbridge City, will not be subject to foreign player limits when he is playing.

International qualification

With the introduction of two new international tournaments, the Globe Cup and Samseong Series B Champions’ Cup, the rules for qualification to these tournaments from the UILC have changed.

The top four teams in the Premier will now all qualify for the TakilQuip Champions’ Cup. The AFF Cup will now lose its status as an Ad’ihani pre-qualifying tournament for the TQCC, and the winner of the AFF Cup will now qualify for the Globe Cup instead, as will the fifth-placed team in the Premier.

If the AFF Cup champions have already qualified for the TQCC, the sixth-placed team in the Premier will qualify for the Globe Cup. If the AFF Cup champions have already qualified for the Globe Cup through the league, the AFF Cup runners-up will qualify for the Globe Cup as well. If they have already qualified for the TQCC, then the spot will go to the sixth-placed team in the Premier.

The AFF has also announced that it will only send two Second Division teams to the Series B Champions’ Cup, despite the allowance for four teams. This is due to the small size of the Ad’ihani Second Division of only eight teams. Therefore, the two promoted teams will also qualify for the SBCC.

The AFF has also announced its intentions to hold an invitational international university-level tournament for established college and university leagues. To this extent, the AFF has extended invitations to Riestre University (Vephrall) and the University of Gilderome (Dancougar) to join the Ad’ihani champions, the Hatton College of Medicine, in a three-team single round-robin tournament. The AFF intends to make the tournament a permanent international fixture, regardless of whether or not more nations introduce a university-level football system.

Season Five

There were three very obvious surprises at the top of the United Islands Premier. Perhaps the most glaring was the absense of traditional Ad’ihani powerhouse Protectorate United from any of the four TakilQuip Champions’ Cup spots, with their fifth-placed finish. Following MD30, Protectorate Utd announced that they had sacked manager Jayden Thomas.

At the top, defending champions Olympique Protectorat finished nine points off the new champions CF Mont-Pluie, similarly resulting in the firing of their manager Alex Graham, despite them making it to the AFF Cup final.

If the most glaring was Protectorate Utd's poor finish, the most stunning must've been County Stanley's third place finish in only their second season in the top flight. Certainly no sophomore season trouble here as national team striker Francis Yang led the team with 23 of their 44 goals.

Oldbridge City once again rounded out the top four as they once again fell just short at their attempts to break into the top two positions in the league.

In mid-table, Kinney Road finished 6th and joined Protectorate Utd in the Globe Cup thanks to the fact that the AFF Cup final was contested between two teams that had already secured TQCC places. They beat out Devida Cal's Dalinn Wanderers by just three points; Cal's perennial lower-mid-table makeweights pulling their weight and finishing well above expectations in 7th for the second year running.

After last season's surprising finish that saw neither newly-promoted team (County Stanley and Tallyn Rovers) relegated, this season unfortunately saw the very rapid descent of Island Athletic, who finished with just 17 points, 12 off safety. They were joined by a surprise package. Flitton City, who finished 8th last season with 42 points, only managed 26 this year, three short of AFC Hatton, and saw themselves relegated into the second division.

In the second division, former giants Pilminster Rovers failed to impress despite clearly being the strongest team in the division. They finished seven points off the division winners Dullham and Oldbridge, and finished an embarassing 5th. Northtown Utd had better luck however, beating out T'chéy Park on goal difference to secure an immediate return to the big time.

In the AFF Cup, Oldbridge City and Olympique Protectorat, last season's two finalists, battled through the competition all the way to the end again, meaning for the second year in a row the final was not held at its traditional home (and also homeground of l'OP) at Protectorate Stadium.

This year, however, Olympique Protectorat, coming off the back of a disappointing league season, got their revenge, beating Oldbridge City 2-0 in Modna Nord at the home of Northtown Utd in front of a capacity 54,000 crowd. This match would turn out to be Alex Graham's last as l'OP manager as he was sacked a few days later.

The University Third Division regular season, now with twelve schools participating for a total of 24 teams, returned for its second year. In group A, last season's two semifinalists, Dullham Tech A and eventual champions Hatton Med A, easily walked all over their competition, finishing 11 points clear of the rest.

However, the two teams were so close that they played the last two matches tied on points. Going into MD21, Dullham Tech and Hatton Med both had 45 points, with Dullham Tech having a superior goal difference by two. This was cut to just one going into MD22, the last day, after they won 3-0 but Hatton Med won 4-0.

Amazingly, on the final day Hatton Med won 2-0 and Dullham Tech 1-0, resulting in the teams finishing tied on points and goal difference. Hatton College of Medicine had scored more goals — 55 to Dullham Tech's 42, and so they progressed to the final to face Group B winners the University of Grand Island, who beat Stanley College by seven points. The final will be played a week before the post-season University Cup begins.

United Islands Premier

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 CF Mont-Pluie 30 22 4 4 82 41 41 70 C/TQCC
2 Olympique Protectorat 30 19 4 7 72 40 32 61 TQCC
3 County Stanley 30 16 7 7 44 26 18 55 TQCC
4 Oldbridge City 30 16 5 9 73 61 12 53 TQCC
5 Protectorate United 30 15 6 9 58 48 10 51 GC
6 Kinney Road 30 14 6 10 42 37 5 48 GC
7 Dalinn Wanderers 30 12 9 9 57 53 4 45
8 Grand Arsenal 30 13 4 13 66 66 0 43
9 Navon Beach 30 11 9 10 62 58 4 42
10 Djei Sporting Club 30 12 4 14 51 52 -1 40
11 Mountbatten Junction 30 10 5 15 58 65 -7 35
12 South Barrier Utd 30 8 6 16 44 63 -19 30
13 Tallyn Rovers 30 8 6 16 39 60 -21 30
14 AFC Hatton 30 9 2 19 37 60 -23 29
15 Flitton City 30 6 8 16 24 41 -17 26 R
16 Island Athletic 30 4 5 21 51 89 -38 17 R

Second Division

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Dullham and Oldbridge 28 13 8 7 51 41 10 47 C/P/SBCC
2 Northtown Utd 28 12 10 6 51 36 15 46 P/SBCC
3 T'chéy Park 28 13 7 8 27 19 8 46
4 Hatton Town 28 12 4 12 39 37 2 40
5 Pilminster Rovers 28 12 4 12 26 27 -1 40
6 Flitton Rangers 28 7 12 9 28 32 -4 33
7 Southcast Town 28 8 8 12 17 23 -6 32
8 Altsend 28 7 3 18 35 59 -24 24

University Third Division

Group A

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Hatton Med A 22 16 3 3 55 24 31 51 Pl
2 Dullham Tech A 22 15 6 1 42 11 31 51
3 Tech. Inst. at Hatton A 22 12 4 6 27 24 3 40
4 Stanley College A 22 8 7 7 30 25 5 31
5 L'Uni Dz’ai A 22 7 7 8 28 36 -8 28
6 Navon Beach Uni A 22 6 7 9 26 35 -9 25
7 Uni Grand Island A 22 6 6 10 22 26 -4 24
8 City of Ad’ihan Uni A 22 5 8 9 20 26 -6 23
9 Flitton University A 22 6 5 11 26 37 -11 23
10 Frontier College A 22 5 7 10 19 34 -15 22
11 Altsend Southern Uni A 22 4 9 9 25 33 -8 21
12 Tech. Inst. at Dalinn A 22 5 5 12 25 34 -9 20

Group B

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Uni Grand Island B 22 17 3 2 46 16 30 54 Pl
2 Stanley College B 22 14 5 3 49 17 32 47
3 Flitton University B 22 11 3 8 33 28 5 36
4 Frontier College B 22 8 6 8 28 27 1 30
5 Dullham Tech B 22 8 6 8 29 29 0 30
6 Hatton Med B 22 7 6 9 28 43 -15 27
7 Altsend Southern Uni B 22 7 4 11 25 35 -10 25
8 Navon Beach Uni B 22 6 6 10 17 23 -6 24
9 L'Uni Dz’ai B 22 6 6 10 21 31 -10 24
10 City of Ad’ihan Uni B 22 5 8 9 24 31 -7 23
11 Tech. Inst. at Dalinn B 22 6 4 12 27 35 -8 22
12 Tech. Inst. at Hatton B 22 5 7 10 15 27 -12 22

AFF Cup

Round One
Dullham and Oldbridge 0-2 Southcast Town
Southcast Town 1-2 Dullham and Oldbridge
Aggregate: Dullham and Oldbridge 2-3 Southcast Town

Tallyn Rovers 1-1 Pilminster Rovers
Pilminster Rovers 2-3 Tallyn Rovers
Aggregate: Tallyn Rovers 4-3 Pilminster Rovers

County Stanley 0-1 Djei Sporting Club
Djei Sporting Club 0-2 County Stanley
Aggregate: County Stanley 2-1 Djei Sporting Club

Hatton Town 2-0 Northtown United
Northtown United 2-1 Hatton Town
Aggregate: Hatton Town 3-2 Northtown United

Altsend 7-0 Navon Beach
Navon Beach 4-2 Altsend
Aggregate: Altsend 9-4 Navon Beach

Island Athletic 3-1 T'chéy Park
T'chéy Park 0-1 Island Athletic
Aggregate: Island Athletic 4-1 T'chéy Park

Kinney Road 1-1 AFC Hatton
AFC Hatton 3-1 Kinney Road
Aggregate: Kinney Road 2-4 AFC Hatton

South Barrier Utd 1-1 Flitton Rangers
Flitton Rangers 1-0 South Barrier Utd
Aggregate: South Barrier Utd 1-2 Flitton Rangers


Round Two
County Stanley 2-1 CF Mont-Pluie
CF Mont-Pluie 0-1 County Stanley
Aggregate: County Stanley 3-1 CF Mont-Pluie

Mountbatten Junction 1-1 Olympique Protectorat
Olympique Protectorat 1-0 Mountbatten Junction
Aggregate: Mountbatten Junction 1-2 Olympique Protectorat

Dalinn Wanderers 2-2 Grand Arsenal
Grand Arsenal 1-0 Dalinn Wanderers
Aggregate: Dalinn Wanderers 2-3 Grand Arsenal

Hatton Town 1-2 Flitton Rangers
Flitton Rangers 0-2 Hatton Town
Aggregate: Hatton Town 3-2 Flitton Rangers

Island Athletic 4-2 Altsend
Altsend 3-1 Island Athletic (Altsend win on away goals rule)
Aggregate: Island Athletic 5-5 Altsend

AFC Hatton 1-2 Protectorate United
Protectorate United 4-0 AFC Hatton
Aggregate: AFC Hatton 1-6 Protectorate United

Southcast Town 0-1 Flitton City
Flitton City 1-0 Southcast Town
Aggregate: Southcast Town 0-2 Flitton City

Oldbridge City 2-2 Tallyn Rovers
Tallyn Rovers 0-1 Oldbridge City
Aggregate: Oldbridge City 3-2 Tallyn Rovers


Quarterfinals
County Stanley 0-1 Olympique Protectorat
Olympique Protectorat 3-1 County Stanley
Aggregate: County Stanley 1-4 Olympique Protectorat

Grand Arsenal 0-4 Hatton Town
Hatton Town 4-3 Grand Arsenal
Aggregate: Grand Arsenal 3-8 Hatton Town

Altsend 2-2 Protectorate United
Protectorate United 2-2 Altsend (4-2 AET)
Aggregate: Altsend 4-6 Protectorate United

Flitton City 1-2 Oldbridge City
Oldbridge City 1-2 Flitton City (4-2 AET)
Aggregate: Flitton City 3-6 Oldbridge City


Semifinals
Olympique Protectorat 1-2 Hatton Town
Hatton Town 1-3 Olympique Protectorat
Aggregate: Olympique Protectorat 4-3 Hatton Town

Protectorate United 1-1 Oldbridge City
Oldbridge City 2-1 Protectorate United
Aggregate: Protectorate United 2-3 Oldbridge City


Final
Olympique Protectorat 2-0 Oldbridge City

Well going to the TQCC are

Atlantea Hurricanes
Wiechester FC
Gieron FC
Bayern Phoenix****

Globe Cup

Bayern Phoenix****
Fadron flight
Yaton FC

**** Bayern only makes it to TQCC if four teams are taken last time it was only 3 who went. If not in they and Fadron will be in the Globe

Champions Cup or whatever the lower thing was

Real Chinchinhua
Airtown Force
Fleetwood FC
Reynea Raptors

Announcement from the CCFM: due to the terrorist activities in the country and the plebiscite in Cafundéu, the final of the Emperor's Cup will be delayed in one week, for both security issues and organizational issues (as we have to know if the cup must continue being called Emperor's Cup or it must become President's Cup).

(this is just a IC way to say that the first half of the Cafundelense season results will be posted between Tuesday or Thursday, later than expected)

http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~gth681k/ns/vephrall/VTF.png
VTF1757

New international qualification rules

One intervening season

TakilQuip Champions Cup qualification hierarchy (4 clubs total):
1. Cintrin A champions
2. VKF winners
3. Cintrin A runners-up
4. Cintrin A 3rd place
5. VKF runners-up
6. Cintrin A 4th place

Globe Cup qualification hierarchy (2 clubs total):
1. VKF runners-up
2. Cintrin A 4th place
3. Cintrin A 5th place
4. Cintrin A 6th place

Samseong Series B Champions Cup qualification hierarchy (4 clubs total):
1. Cintrin B champions
2. Cintrin B runners-up
3. Cintrin B 3rd place
4. Cintrin B 4th place
5. Cintrin B 5th place
6. Cintrin B 6th place

Two intervening seasons
Let the two seasons be referred to here as Season 1 and Season 2, with 2 being the most recent.

TakilQuip Champions Cup qualification hierarchy (4 clubs total):
1. Season 2 Cintrin A champions
2. Season 1 Cintrin A champions
3. Season 2 VKF winners
4. Season 1 VKF winners
5. Season 2 Cintrin A runners-up
6. Season 1 Cintrin A runners-up
7. Season 2 Cintrin A 3rd place
8. Season 1 Cintrin A 3rd place
9. Season 2 VKF runners-up
10. Season 1 VKF runners-up
11. Season 2 Cintrin A 4th place
12. Season 1 Cintrin A 4th place

Globe Cup qualification hierarchy (2 clubs total):
1. Season 2 VKF runners-up
2. Season 1 VKF runners-up
3. Season 2 Cintrin A 4th place
4. Season 1 Cintrin A 4th place
5. Season 2 Cintrin A 5th place
6. Season 1 Cintrin A 5th place
7. Season 2 Cintrin A 6th place
8. Season 1 Cintrin A 6th place

Samseong Series B Champions Cup qualification hierarchy (4 clubs total):
1. Season 2 Cintrin B champions
2. Season 1 Cintrin B champions
3. Season 2 Cintrin B runners-up
4. Season 1 Cintrin B runners-up
5. Season 2 Cintrin B 3rd place
6. Season 1 Cintrin B 3rd place
7. Season 2 Cintrin B 4th place
8. Season 1 Cintrin B 4th place
9. Season 2 Cintrin B 5th place
10. Season 1 Cintrin B 5th place
11. Season 2 Cintrin B 6th place
12. Season 1 Cintrin B 6th place

Now that that mess is out of the way...

Cintrin A

We're starting to hear the "D" word associated with Poiki - that's right, "dynasty". The club from Penuls picks up its sixth consecutive top-three finish and successfully defends its 1756 league title.

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Poikimitagiin FE 38 25 5 8 67 29 38 80 C/TQCC
2 Oillid CE 38 22 8 8 57 31 26 74 TQCC
3 Stestrenas OC 38 21 5 12 50 38 12 68 TQCC
4 Mylfe CE 38 19 10 9 53 41 12 67 GC
5 Huellim FE 38 17 13 8 48 36 12 64 TQCC
6 Stithis FE 38 18 8 12 49 30 19 62 GC
7 Bumpoogra FE 38 18 6 14 47 43 4 60
8 Pondrit FE 38 19 2 17 53 56 -3 59
9 Boalluns FE 38 15 13 10 50 36 14 58
10 Terabits CE 38 17 6 15 49 47 2 57
11 Merpisms CE 38 15 9 14 49 44 5 54
12 FE Dranacess 38 13 8 17 44 47 -3 47
13 Penuler OC 38 12 9 17 50 57 -7 45
14 Ammites FE 38 13 5 20 45 49 -4 44
15 Gontarther FE 38 13 5 20 40 54 -14 44
16 Daazyiles OC 38 11 10 17 35 55 -20 43
17 Fekler FE 38 11 7 20 38 63 -25 40
18 Sichisers OB 38 10 8 20 38 51 -13 38 R
19 Knoleier FE 38 10 5 23 31 58 -27 35 R
20 Custler FE 38 7 6 25 27 55 -28 27 R

Guaranteed to qualify for TQCC
Guaranteed to qualify for either TQCC or Globe Cup
Tentatively qualified for TQCC
Tentatively qualified for Globe Cup

Cintrin B

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Pomperae FE 38 23 9 6 53 34 19 78 P/SBCC
2 Spoantects CE 38 24 5 9 67 32 35 77 P/SBCC
3 DFE Anhenir 38 22 6 10 54 31 23 72 P/SBCC
4 DFE Donseplock 38 20 8 10 58 36 22 68 SBCC
5 Netler FE 38 17 14 7 60 31 29 65
6 Strapply FE 38 16 14 8 50 38 12 62
7 Ucktingang OB 38 15 12 11 51 40 11 57
8 Shing OC 38 14 12 12 48 51 -3 54
9 Cirbeod CE 38 14 10 14 41 44 -3 52
10 Sontirae CE 38 14 10 14 43 47 -4 52
11 Cunceer CE 38 14 9 15 44 43 1 51
12 Sante OB 38 14 7 17 49 47 2 49
13 Trillet FE 38 13 7 18 37 46 -9 46
14 Burtneeg FE 38 11 12 15 46 50 -4 45
15 Brimpeng FE 38 11 9 18 36 49 -13 42
16 Tigajana OC 38 10 9 19 42 55 -13 39
17 Mendid CE 38 7 15 16 25 49 -24 36
18 Engset FE 38 6 16 16 41 60 -19 34 R
19 Sesotnig FE 38 8 10 20 36 65 -29 34 R
20 Tehtisms CE 38 6 8 24 32 65 -33 26 R

Promoted, guaranteed to qualify for SBCC
Promoted, tentatively qualified for SBCC
Tentatively qualified for SBCC

Cintrin C

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Grasset FE 38 25 7 6 65 32 33 82 P
2 Firoum OB 38 24 5 9 63 37 26 77 P
3 Ceresstrer FE 38 20 8 10 55 35 20 68 P
4 Feay FE 38 20 6 12 61 46 15 66
5 Sondar FE 38 18 10 10 61 40 21 64
6 Berkemara FE 38 18 10 10 48 42 6 64
7 CE e Flaarickug 38 17 12 9 53 39 14 63
8 Fishbogger FE 38 19 5 14 48 38 10 62
9 DFE Unee 38 17 9 12 57 43 14 60
10 Contrer FE 38 13 11 14 49 44 5 50
11 Dilkis FE 38 14 8 16 51 59 -8 50
12 DFE Clyddly 38 10 17 11 44 46 -2 47
13 FE Mersira 38 11 12 15 40 46 -6 45
14 Zikeseng OC 38 11 10 17 48 59 -11 43
15 Festany CE 38 11 9 18 37 48 -11 42
16 Grendless FE 38 11 8 19 45 65 -20 41
17 Spostratter OB 38 10 9 19 37 65 -28 39 R to D1/A
18 Girag FE 38 9 6 23 42 64 -22 33 R to D1/B
19 DFE Hyllesme 38 7 8 23 33 59 -26 29 R to D1/B
20 Nenirmiopoti FE 38 6 8 24 35 65 -30 26 R to D1/A

Player Awards

Player of the Year
1. Angrod Minyatur - 21
2. Deuce Zadora - 12
T3. Efeirn Ace - 11
T3. Sven Ostiken - 11
5. Prorim Phootid - 10

In other news, University of Riestre athletic director Misina Taclik has confirmed that his institution has accepted the AFF's invitation to the inaugural University Cup.

http://spaam.mrdrake.net/flags/acapais.png Acapais Football League Season 5


Acapais League Cup

First Round
Decatur 4-3 Nevada Extra
Southmayd 2-1 Sivells Bend
Callisburg 1-2 Lower Howe
Lucas Railroad 2-4 Muenster Underground
Hebron Central 1-0 Real Melissa
Everman Local 1-3 Parker Hospital
Azle 1-0 Southlake Dragons
Alvarado Damage 3-1 Bardwell Underground
Sachse Place 3-0 Lake Bridgeport
Joshua Tree 3-1 Dorchester
University Park 2-2 Red River Station (3-2 AET)
Springtown FC 2-1 Rhome
Briaroaks Boulevard 0-0 Kempshire (0-0 AET) (Kempshire wins 3-4 on penalty kicks)
Ringgold AC 4-0 Wayside Corinth
Pecan Hill FC 1-2 Fairview United
Montague United 0-2 Prairie Point
Nocona Episode 4-1 Blue Mound FC
Hackberry 0-2 Makeshift Fate
Weston Place 2-0 Tioga Grizzlies
Princeton Villa 0-1 Gunter Rhinos
Sanctuary 1-0 Lincoln Park
Stephenville 1-0 Willow Park
Sansom Park 1-0 Runaway Bay
Gordonville 0-2 Waxahachie
Pioneer Valley 1-1 Bonita Sporting (3-1 AET)
Rio Vista 1-0 Carrollton
Pecan Acres 1-3 Greater Justin
Grays Prairie 3-1 Garland SC
Paradise 1-2 Bridgeport
North Richland Hills 4-0 Rosston Plantation
Whitewright 1-1 Alvord Town (2-1 AET)
Poolville 0-2 Plano East
Tom Bean 0-1 CF Bolivar
Woodbine LSC 3-1 Stoneburg
Seagoville 0-1 Tolar SC
Oak Grove 3-1 Sanger Axis
Krugerville 3-2 Annetta North
Red Oak SC 1-1 Colleyville (1-3 AET)
White Settlement 2-2 Kennedale (4-4 AET) (White Settlement wins 4-1 on penalty kicks)
Boyd Wildcats 1-1 Richardson Infinity (1-2 AET)
Celina Sports Club 0-1 Grandview FC
Whitesboro 2-1 Pottsboro
Chivas Lavon 1-0 Belcherville
Burns City 0-4 Forney Outskirts
Sunnyvale 3-2 Chico CF
FC Allen 4-1 Mountain Springs
AEK Anna 3-2 Garner State Park
Benbrook Clubs 3-1 Grand Prairie
Northlake 4-0 Marysville Hearts
Millsap Railroad 2-2 Whitt Park (2-2 AET) (Millsap Railroad wins 4-2 on penalty kicks)
Leo Ultra 1-0 Mineral Wells
Uptown Mansfield 1-2 Hudson Oaks
Cresson Drain 0-2 Oak Ridge
Weatherford United 0-2 Spanish Fort
Forestburg 1-1 Red Branch Ancient (2-2 AET) (Red Branch Ancient wins 4-5 on penalty kicks)
Fort Wallace Inner-City 1-0 Sadler Formation
Greater Cresson 0-2 Sunset Strip
Knollwood Blues 2-0 Staint Jo's Place
Highland Village 2-1 Briarhill SC
New Hope 3-3 Illinois Bend (4-4 AET) (Illinois Bend wins 1-3 on penalty kicks)
Glenn Heights 1-0 Walnut Bend
Corral City 1-2 Frisco Roughriders
Bowie Hunting 1-1 Edgecliff Village (2-1 AET)
Denton Ryan 1-0 Greenwood
Heath KS 2-1 Mobile City
Soccer Bells 0-3 Copper Canyon
McLendon-Chisholm 3-2 Ferris Galaxy
Farmersville 1-2 Wylie County
Duncanville 1-1 Crandall (2-1 AET)
Haltom City 1-1 Dexter Sports (1-1 AET) (Dexter Sports wins 3-4 on penalty kicks)
Irving Nemitz 1-2 Terrell Wanderers
Capps Corner 2-2 Murphy City (4-4 AET) (Murphy City wins 2-3 on penalty kicks)
Ponderbrough 4-0 Adell Corporation
Cross Timber 2-0 The Colony
Peaster Jets 1-2 Border Town
Brock FC 2-1 Gainesville
Van Alstyne 1-1 Rowlett Rovers (1-2 AET)
Eagle Mountain 0-2 Wilmer County

Second Round
Westworth Village 2-1 Decatur
Bulcher Avenue 1-3 Southmayd
Little Elm 0-0 Lower Howe (1-0 AET)
Greenville 2-1 Muenster Underground
Dallas FC 6-1 Hebron Central
AC Saginaw 0-1 Parker Hospital
Grapevine AC 2-1 Azle
Pilot Point 0-1 Alvarado Damage
Burleson AC 1-0 Sachse Place
Coppell Underground 0-1 Joshua Tree
Real Combine 4-0 University Park
Sherman Wanderers 2-3 Springtown FC
Haslet Greats 1-4 Kempshire
Erabrough 1-1 Ringgold AC (2-1 AET)
Bedford City 1-1 Fairview United (2-1 AET)
Bartonville 1-0 Prairie Point
Double Oak Woods 1-1 Nocona Episode (1-1 AET) (Nocona Episode wins 2-3 on penalty kicks)
Denison Palace 1-3 Makeshift Fate
Lake Kiowa 1-0 Weston Place
Moss Lake FC 1-3 Gunter Rhinos
Flower Mound 2-3 Sanctuary
Elizabethtown 0-1 Stephenville
Lindsay United 2-3 Sansom Park
Blue Ridge 2-0 Waxahachie
FC Hurst 1-1 Pioneer Valley (1-2 AET)
Richland Hills 1-2 Rio Vista
Arlington Athletic 1-1 Greater Justin (1-1 AET) (Greater Justin wins 1-2 on penalty kicks)
Glenn Heights 2-0 Grays Prairie
River Oaks FC 4-3 Bridgeport
Fort Wallace Downtown 0-1 North Richland Hills
Shady Shores 1-1 Whitewright (1-3 AET)
Clearbrook Town 1-0 Plano East
Balch Springs 0-2 CF Bolivar
Lois FC 0-1 Woodbine LSC
Terrell County 2-2 Tolar SC (2-3 AET)
Hutchins 0-1 Oak Grove
Watauga City 4-1 Krugerville
Roanoke Northwest 2-1 Colleyville
Euless Makeshift 1-2 White Settlement
Lakewood Village 1-0 Richardson Infinity
FC Crowley 2-0 Grandview FC
Ovilla City 0-2 Whitesboro
AC Godley 2-2 Chivas Lavon (3-2 AET)
Westlake Spades 0-1 Forney Outskirts
SC Myra 0-1 Sunnyvale
Maypearl Uptown 1-2 FC Allen
Cedar Hill 2-2 AEK Anna (2-4 AET)
Real Talty 1-1 Benbrook Clubs (2-2 AET) (Real Talty wins 3-1 on penalty kicks)
Annetta South 1-3 Northlake
Lewisville 4-1 Millsap Railroad
Addison United 2-1 Leo Ultra
Fort Wallace 2-2 Hudson Oaks (4-2 AET)
Dalworthington Gardens 2-2 Oak Ridge (3-2 AET)
CF Aubrey 4-1 Spanish Fort
Krumshire 3-1 Red Branch Ancient
Valley View 2-2 Fort Wallace Inner-City (3-2 AET)
Briarwood 1-1 Sunset Strip (3-2 AET)
Denton Downtown 1-1 Knollwood Blues (3-2 AET)
Aurora Diamonds 1-1 Highland Village (2-2 AET) (Highland Village wins 0-2 on penalty kicks)
Rosser Downtown 1-2 Illinois Bend
Flower Mound University 3-2 Glenn Heights
Farmers Branch FC 2-0 Frisco Roughriders
Scurry Uptown 1-0 Bowie Hunting
New Fairview 2-2 Denton Ryan (3-2 AET)
Westminster 2-1 Heath KS
Greater Mesquite 0-1 Copper Canyon
Cedar Hill 1-0 McLendon-Chisholm
Lake Dallas 0-1 Wylie County
Cottonwood Sporting 4-0 Duncanville
Cross Roads 1-1 Dexter Sports (2-1 AET)
Josephine 2-0 Terrell Wanderers
DeSoto FC 1-1 Murphy City (2-2 AET) (DeSoto FC wins 5-4 on penalty kicks)
McKinney 3-0 Ponderbrough
Lowry Crossing 4-1 Cross Timber
Kellar Central 3-1 Border Town
Hatch Springs United 2-0 Brock FC
Cockrell Hill 0-1 Rowlett Rovers
Oak Point 1-2 Wilmer County

Third Round
Trophy Club 2-0 Westworth Village
Reno Wanderers 1-3 Southmayd
Rendon Dynamo 3-0 Little Elm
Pelican Bay 3-1 Greenville
Seven Points FC 3-0 Dallas FC
Yorktown 0-0 Parker Hospital (0-0 AET) (Yorktown wins 4-1 on penalty kicks)
Stinnett West 2-0 Grapevine AC
Argyle United 3-0 Alvarado Damage
Venus FC 0-1 Burleson AC
Rockwall Rovers 3-0 Joshua Tree
FC Commerce 5-0 Real Combine
Royse City 2-0 Springtown FC
Schulenburg 1-0 Kempshire
Sweetwater Rovers 2-1 Erabrough
Azle Sporting 2-2 Bedford City (2-2 AET) (Bedford City wins 3-4 on penalty kicks)
Trinidad Underground 4-0 Bartonville
Granbury 3-1 Nocona Episode
Edgewood United 5-0 Makeshift Fate
Natalia Athletic 4-3 Lake Kiowa
Ruffage United 0-0 Gunter Rhinos (0-0 AET) (Ruffage United wins 4-1 on penalty kicks)
Holliday FC 3-1 Sanctuary
Garrett Sporting 1-1 Stephenville (1-1 AET) (Stephenville wins 1-3 on penalty kicks)
Lockney Town 6-3 Sansom Park
Elkheart Spartans 2-0 Blue Ridge
Midlothian Rovers 3-0 Pioneer Valley
Highland Park FC 6-0 Rio Vista
Tontovilla 4-0 Greater Justin
Shallowater FC 1-2 Glenn Heights
Annetta City 1-1 River Oaks FC (1-1 AET) (Annetta City wins 3-1 on penalty kicks)
Prosper United 3-2 North Richland Hills
Lancaster Place 1-0 Whitewright
Lower Greenville 3-1 Clearbrook Town
Springston Town 1-1 CF Bolivar (1-2 AET)
Ennis Town 0-2 Woodbine LSC
Kaufman Wanderers 4-0 Tolar SC
Cleburne-Eubanks 0-0 Oak Grove (0-0 AET) (Cleburne-Eubanks wins 4-3 on penalty kicks)
Maybank Place 1-3 Watauga City
Hickory Creek AC 2-2 Roanoke Northwest (4-2 AET)
Saint Paul United 2-1 White Settlement
AC Newark 1-1 Lakewood Village (2-2 AET) (Lakewood Village wins 1-3 on penalty kicks)
Ansonbrough 3-1 FC Crowley
Post Oak Bend 2-1 Whitesboro
Lakeside AC 1-1 AC Godley (4-1 AET)
Abernathy Sporting 2-1 Forney Outskirts
Three Rivers 1-0 Sunnyvale
Slidell 2-2 FC Allen (3-2 AET)
Real Malakoff 4-1 AEK Anna
Forest Hill 3-0 Real Talty
Keenshire 4-1 Northlake
Westover Hills 2-1 Lewisville
Westminster 0-3 Addison United
Copper Canyon 0-3 Fort Wallace
Cedar Hill 4-1 Dalworthington Gardens
Wylie County 1-1 CF Aubrey (1-2 AET)
Cottonwood Sporting 2-1 Krumshire
Cross Roads 2-1 Valley View
Josephine 1-2 Briarwood
DeSoto FC 0-2 Denton Downtown
McKinney 1-0 Highland Village
Lowry Crossing 4-0 Illinois Bend
Kellar Central 3-1 Flower Mound University
Hatch Springs United 1-1 Farmers Branch FC (1-2 AET)
Rowlett Rovers 1-0 Scurry Uptown
Wilmer County 2-0 New Fairview

Fourth Round
Trophy Club 2-0 CF Bolivar
Southmayd 1-2 Woodbine LSC
Rendon Dynamo 2-0 Kaufman Wanderers
Pelican Bay 1-1 Cleburne-Eubanks (1-1 AET) (Cleburne-Eubanks wins 3-4 on penalty kicks)
Seven Points FC 3-1 Watauga City
Yorktown 2-1 Hickory Creek AC
Stinnett West 1-2 Saint Paul United
Argyle United 1-1 Lakewood Village (1-1 AET) (Lakewood Village wins 2-4 on penalty kicks)
Burleson AC 1-0 Ansonbrough
Rockwall Rovers 3-2 Post Oak Bend
FC Commerce 2-4 Lakeside AC
Royse City 1-2 Abernathy Sporting
Schulenburg 1-1 Three Rivers (1-1 AET) (Three Rivers wins 2-4 on penalty kicks)
Sweetwater Rovers 3-2 Slidell
Bedford City 0-1 Real Malakoff
Trinidad Underground 1-2 Forest Hill
Granbury 1-3 Keenshire
Edgewood United 2-0 Westover Hills
Natalia Athletic 1-1 Addison United (2-1 AET)
Ruffage United 0-1 Fort Wallace
Holliday FC 2-1 Cedar Hill
Stephenville 2-3 CF Aubrey
Lockney Town 3-1 Cottonwood Sporting
Elkheart Spartans 4-0 Cross Roads
Midlothian Rovers 1-1 Briarwood (1-2 AET)
Highland Park FC 4-1 Denton Downtown
Tontovilla 2-0 McKinney
Glenn Heights 1-1 Lowry Crossing (2-2 AET) (Glenn Heights wins 4-3 on penalty kicks)
Annetta City 5-1 Kellar Central
Prosper United 1-0 Farmers Branch FC
Lancaster Place 2-0 Rowlett Rovers
Lower Greenville 3-2 Wilmer County

Fifth Round
Trophy Club 1-5 Keenshire
Woodbine LSC 2-2 Edgewood United (3-3 AET) (Woodbine LSC wins 5-4 on penalty kicks)
Rendon Dynamo 3-1 Natalia Athletic
Cleburne-Eubanks 2-2 Fort Wallace (3-2 AET)
Seven Points FC 1-2 Holliday FC
Yorktown 3-1 CF Aubrey
Saint Paul United 2-0 Lockney Town
Lakewood Village 1-6 Elkheart Spartans
Burleson AC 0-1 Briarwood
Rockwall Rovers 1-3 Highland Park FC
Lakeside AC 0-2 Tontovilla
Abernathy Sporting 1-1 Glenn Heights (1-1 AET) (Glenn Heights wins 4-5 on penalty kicks)
Three Rivers 3-1 Annetta City
Sweetwater Rovers 2-1 Prosper United
Real Malakoff 3-1 Lancaster Place
Forest Hill 4-1 Lower Greenville

Round of 16
Keenshire 2-1 Woodbine LSC
Rendon Dynamo 3-2 Cleburne-Eubanks
Holliday FC 2-1 Yorktown
Saint Paul United 2-2 Elkheart Spartans (2-2 AET) (Elkheart Spartans wins 5-6 on penalty kicks)
Briarwood 1-6 Highland Park FC
Tontovilla 6-0 Glenn Heights
Three Rivers 0-2 Sweetwater Rovers
Real Malakoff 5-1 Forest Hill

Quarterfinals
Keenshire 3-5 Rendon Dynamo
Holliday FC 1-0 Elkheart Spartans
Highland Park FC 2-1 Tontovilla
Sweetwater Rovers 1-1 Real Malakoff (1-2 AET)

Semifinals
Rendon Dynamo 3-2 Holliday FC
Highland Park FC 4-1 Real Malakoff

Final
Rendon Dynamo 1-4 Highland Park FC



Elite League

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Highland Park FC 38 24 6 8 69 38 31 78 TQCC/IFFF
2 Elkheart Spartans 38 22 7 9 73 49 24 73 TQCC/IFFF
3 Edgewood United 38 20 9 9 70 50 20 69 GC/IFFF
4 Three Rivers 38 21 5 12 71 43 28 68 IFFF
5 Lakeside AC 38 19 10 9 73 51 22 67
6 Tontovilla 38 18 12 8 66 48 18 66
7 Kaufman Wanderers 38 17 11 10 66 44 22 62
8 Yorktown 38 18 7 13 69 57 12 61
9 AC Newark 38 16 5 17 64 60 4 53
10 Keenshire 38 15 8 15 62 60 2 53
11 Real Malakoff 38 13 10 15 60 57 3 49
12 Stinnett West 38 13 7 18 51 61 -10 46
13 Saint Paul United 38 13 7 18 46 62 -16 46
14 Schulenburg 38 11 12 15 52 60 -8 45
15 Holliday FC 38 12 9 17 51 64 -13 45
16 Lower Greenville 38 11 9 18 61 78 -17 42
17 Sweetwater Rovers 38 11 8 19 40 57 -17 41
18 Forest Hill 38 9 10 19 46 68 -22 37 R
19 Cleburne-Eubanks 38 9 5 24 46 79 -33 32 R
20 Abernathy Sporting 38 6 7 25 37 87 -50 25 R




Major League

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Trinidad Underground 38 25 5 8 88 43 45 80 P/SBCC
2 Slidell 38 24 7 7 63 39 24 79 P/SBCC
3 Seven Points FC 38 21 9 8 76 44 32 72 P
4 Lockney Town 38 20 5 13 72 52 20 65
5 Ruffage United 38 17 11 10 49 39 10 62
6 Annetta City 38 18 8 12 58 54 4 62
7 Rendon Dynamo 38 17 8 13 68 57 11 59
8 Garrett Sporting 38 15 8 15 55 58 -3 53
9 Ansonbrough 38 14 9 15 66 59 7 51
10 Reno Wanderers 38 14 9 15 55 57 -2 51
11 FC Commerce 38 14 9 15 58 66 -8 51
12 Granbury 38 14 8 16 50 55 -5 50
13 Shallowater FC 38 14 7 17 71 62 9 49
14 Prosper United 38 13 9 16 48 58 -10 48
15 Natalia Athletic 38 13 8 17 54 58 -4 47
16 Springston Town 38 11 11 16 38 46 -8 44
17 Maybank Place 38 12 8 18 41 57 -16 44
18 Westover Hills 38 13 4 21 54 72 -18 43 R
19 Azle Sporting 38 6 9 23 39 80 -41 27 R
20 Rockwall Rovers 38 5 8 25 37 84 -47 23 R




Minor League

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Ovilla City 46 25 12 9 83 58 25 87 P
2 Real Combine 46 23 11 12 75 50 25 80 P
3 Argyle United 46 23 10 13 81 62 19 79 P
4 Royse City 46 23 9 14 82 66 16 78
5 Ennis Town 46 24 6 16 71 62 9 78
6 Kellar Central 46 22 8 16 70 66 4 74
7 Bedford City 46 22 8 16 75 73 2 74
8 Hickory Creek AC 46 21 7 18 67 61 6 70
9 Lois FC 46 19 11 16 76 69 7 68
10 Clearbrook Town 46 18 11 17 63 59 4 65
11 Trophy Club 46 18 11 17 68 68 0 65
12 Midlothian Rovers 46 16 15 15 62 57 5 63
13 Hatch Springs United 46 18 8 20 63 67 -4 62
14 Post Oak Bend 46 16 14 16 60 68 -8 62
15 Lancaster Place 46 17 10 19 77 72 5 61
16 Addison United 46 17 10 19 70 80 -10 61
17 Glenn Heights 46 15 12 19 67 62 5 57
18 Pelican Bay 46 15 12 19 67 67 0 57
19 Dalworthington Gardens 46 14 15 17 61 70 -9 57
20 Aurora Diamonds 46 14 12 20 63 71 -8 54
21 Venus FC 46 15 7 24 56 75 -19 52
22 Annetta South 46 11 15 20 52 69 -17 48 R
23 Coppell Underground 46 11 7 28 48 75 -27 40 R
24 Farmers Branch FC 46 9 11 26 56 86 -30 38 R




Delta Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Greenville 38 19 8 11 60 42 18 65 P
2 Greater Mesquite 38 16 16 6 68 47 21 64
3 Real Talty 38 16 15 7 63 44 19 63
4 Hutchins 38 19 6 13 67 56 11 63
5 Blue Ridge 38 18 8 12 65 53 12 62
6 Josephine 38 17 10 11 57 54 3 61
7 Cockrell Hill 38 16 11 11 61 52 9 59
8 Dallas FC 38 15 12 11 67 60 7 57
9 Cedar Hill 38 14 13 11 53 49 4 55
10 Terrell County 38 15 9 14 63 56 7 54
11 Fort Wallace Downtown 38 14 11 13 51 51 0 53
12 Balch Springs 38 13 10 15 58 60 -2 49
13 Westminster 38 11 15 12 50 53 -3 48
14 McKinney 38 13 9 16 53 66 -13 48
15 Lowry Crossing 38 13 7 18 48 61 -13 46
16 Haslet Greats 38 13 6 19 49 61 -12 45
17 Lewisville 38 12 6 20 52 72 -20 42
18 Maypearl Uptown 38 10 11 17 54 57 -3 41 R
19 Grapevine AC 38 10 9 19 53 63 -10 39 R
20 Rosser Downtown 38 6 8 24 36 71 -35 26 R




Tarrant Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 New Fairview 38 18 11 9 50 38 12 65 P
2 Denton Downtown 38 18 8 12 65 53 12 62
3 FC Hurst 38 17 10 11 50 38 12 61
4 FC Crowley 38 17 6 15 59 54 5 57
5 Westlake Spades 38 15 12 11 58 56 2 57
6 Burleson AC 38 15 11 12 57 51 6 56
7 Watauga City 38 13 15 10 62 56 6 54
8 Flower Mound 38 14 11 13 56 44 12 53
9 Arlington Athletic 38 14 11 13 57 52 5 53
10 Briarwood 38 14 11 13 59 57 2 53
11 River Oaks FC 38 15 7 16 55 53 2 52
12 Richland Hills 38 14 9 15 60 57 3 51
13 Fort Wallace 38 14 9 15 50 59 -9 51
14 Double Oak Woods 38 12 13 13 54 57 -3 49
15 AC Saginaw 38 13 9 16 46 51 -5 48
16 Scurry Uptown 38 12 11 15 51 56 -5 47
17 Euless Makeshift 38 13 7 18 60 73 -13 46
18 Westworth Village 38 11 11 16 47 67 -20 44 R
19 Sherman Wanderers 38 9 14 15 47 55 -8 41 R
20 Cedar Hill 38 10 8 20 42 58 -16 38 R




Denton Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Cottonwood Sporting 31 18 7 6 55 33 22 61 P
2 CF Aubrey 31 16 8 7 53 40 13 56
3 Flower Mound University 31 14 12 5 52 35 17 54
4 Lakewood Village 31 14 10 7 56 43 13 52
5 Dexter Sports 31 14 8 9 57 48 9 50
6 Bartonville 31 14 7 10 53 47 6 49
7 Valley View 31 13 9 9 50 45 5 48
8 Lake Kiowa 31 12 12 7 45 40 5 48
9 Elizabethtown 31 13 9 9 48 44 4 48
10 AC Godley 31 12 10 9 43 36 7 46
11 Pilot Point 31 11 12 8 46 47 -1 45
12 Oak Point 31 12 8 11 41 41 0 44
13 Little Elm 31 13 4 14 46 40 6 43
14 Highland Village 31 11 9 11 44 44 0 42
15 SC Myra 31 12 6 13 45 46 -1 42
16 Roanoke Northwest 31 12 5 14 45 46 -1 41
17 Copper Canyon 31 11 6 14 47 50 -3 39
18 Marysville Hearts 31 9 12 10 38 42 -4 39
19 Cross Roads 31 9 12 10 37 42 -5 39
20 Decatur 31 11 6 14 27 34 -7 39
21 Denison Palace 31 11 6 14 45 54 -9 39
22 Knollwood Blues 31 9 11 11 44 52 -8 38
23 Lindsay United 31 8 13 10 42 47 -5 37
24 Krumshire 31 10 6 15 36 44 -8 36
25 Wayside Corinth 31 8 11 12 44 46 -2 35
26 Moss Lake FC 31 8 11 12 42 48 -6 35
27 Wylie County 31 8 11 12 40 49 -9 35
28 Bulcher Avenue 31 8 11 12 38 47 -9 35
29 Lake Dallas 31 8 10 13 38 42 -4 34 R
30 DeSoto FC 31 8 9 14 43 51 -8 33 R
31 Erabrough 31 8 9 14 38 48 -10 33 R
32 Shady Shores 31 6 10 15 41 48 -7 28 R




Collin Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Sachse Place 38 22 5 11 68 50 18 71 P
2 Heath KS 38 19 10 9 63 51 12 67 P
3 Makeshift Fate 38 17 12 9 63 49 14 63 P
4 Lucas Railroad 38 17 9 12 69 59 10 60
5 Plano East 38 17 9 12 56 50 6 60
6 Oak Grove 38 16 10 12 67 63 4 58
7 Garland SC 38 16 8 14 53 56 -3 56
8 Chivas Lavon 38 14 13 11 60 49 11 55
9 Irving Nemitz 38 16 7 15 59 60 -1 55
10 Wilmer County 38 14 12 12 50 54 -4 54
11 Oak Ridge 38 14 11 13 50 53 -3 53
12 Rowlett Rovers 38 14 10 14 64 61 3 52
13 FC Allen 38 15 7 16 54 55 -1 52
14 New Hope 38 13 7 18 63 59 4 46
15 Denton Ryan 38 12 10 16 54 55 -1 46
16 Princeton Villa 38 14 4 20 55 62 -7 46
17 Mobile City 38 11 11 16 55 57 -2 44
18 Sunnyvale 38 11 5 22 46 64 -18 38 R
19 Farmersville 38 10 8 20 43 63 -20 38 R
20 Murphy City 38 8 12 18 43 65 -22 36 R




Wise Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Peaster Jets 38 21 9 8 69 42 27 72 P
2 Pecan Acres 38 18 10 10 60 45 15 64 P
3 Bridgeport 38 18 9 11 58 50 8 63 P
4 North Richland Hills 38 15 12 11 56 51 5 57
5 White Settlement 38 16 8 14 57 53 4 56
6 Sansom Park 38 15 10 13 50 50 0 55
7 Paradise 38 14 12 12 54 50 4 54
8 Haltom City 38 15 9 14 56 54 2 54
9 Rhome 38 15 9 14 52 51 1 54
10 Fort Wallace Inner-City 38 14 10 14 64 61 3 52
11 Colleyville 38 14 9 15 59 54 5 51
12 Everman Local 38 12 13 13 53 53 0 49
13 Greenwood 38 12 11 15 55 61 -6 47
14 Uptown Mansfield 38 13 7 18 56 57 -1 46
15 Mineral Wells 38 10 15 13 50 62 -12 45
16 Poolville 38 12 8 18 59 66 -7 44
17 Adell Corporation 38 10 14 14 50 58 -8 44
18 Willow Park 38 9 17 12 60 72 -12 44 R
19 Weatherford United 38 11 11 16 41 53 -12 44 R
20 Chico CF 38 10 9 19 51 67 -16 39 R




Cooke Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Callisburg 46 23 13 10 82 53 29 82 P
2 Sivells Bend 46 23 11 12 85 57 28 80 P
3 Northlake 46 22 12 12 92 69 23 78 P
4 Illinois Bend 46 20 13 13 76 61 15 73 P
5 Krugerville 46 20 10 16 73 73 0 70
6 Hebron Central 46 20 9 17 60 57 3 69
7 The Colony 46 19 10 17 63 67 -4 67
8 Gainesville 46 18 12 16 73 63 10 66
9 Ponderbrough 46 18 12 16 67 71 -4 66
10 Greater Justin 46 16 16 14 77 70 7 64
11 Belcherville 46 18 10 18 85 85 0 64
12 Border Town 46 16 14 16 65 76 -11 62
13 CF Bolivar 46 17 10 19 57 58 -1 61
14 Sanger Axis 46 16 12 18 61 62 -1 60
15 Van Alstyne 46 16 12 18 69 72 -3 60
16 Forestburg 46 18 6 22 67 70 -3 60
17 Sunset Strip 46 17 9 20 63 72 -9 60
18 Prairie Point 46 16 11 19 59 71 -12 59
19 Dorchester 46 15 12 19 70 71 -1 57
20 Rosston Plantation 46 15 12 19 71 75 -4 57
21 Southmayd 46 13 16 17 64 73 -9 55 R
22 Nocona Episode 46 15 10 21 63 74 -11 55 R
23 Bonita Sporting 46 13 11 22 60 82 -22 50 R
24 Corral City 46 13 7 26 68 88 -20 46 R




Kaufman Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Grand Prairie 38 19 7 12 65 46 19 64 P
2 Richardson Infinity 38 19 7 12 58 47 11 64 P
3 Parker Hospital 38 20 3 15 66 60 6 63 P
4 Forney Outskirts 38 17 11 10 58 45 13 62
5 Ferris Galaxy 38 16 12 10 50 42 8 60
6 Tolar SC 38 17 7 14 55 42 13 58
7 Grays Prairie 38 16 9 13 52 51 1 57
8 Red Oak SC 38 16 8 14 56 48 8 56
9 Pecan Hill FC 38 14 14 10 48 45 3 56
10 McLendon-Chisholm 38 13 14 11 55 56 -1 53
11 Duncanville 38 14 10 14 63 56 7 52
12 Frisco Roughriders 38 13 10 15 48 51 -3 49
13 Real Melissa 38 13 9 16 47 56 -9 48
14 Eagle Mountain 38 12 11 15 41 47 -6 47
15 Carrollton 38 12 10 16 53 51 2 46
16 Kempshire 38 11 11 16 48 51 -3 44
17 Terrell Wanderers 38 11 11 16 44 59 -15 44
18 Weston Place 38 10 12 16 38 57 -19 42
19 AEK Anna 38 8 13 17 35 56 -21 37 R
20 Celina Sports Club 38 7 15 16 52 66 -14 36 R




Parker Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Stephenville 38 17 12 9 69 52 17 63 P
2 Brock FC 38 16 12 10 57 46 11 60 P
3 Blue Mound FC 38 17 8 13 61 54 7 59 P
4 Lake Bridgeport 38 16 11 11 54 48 6 59
5 Kennedale 38 18 5 15 54 48 6 59
6 Garner State Park 38 17 8 13 54 55 -1 59
7 Alvord Town 38 15 11 12 57 49 8 56
8 Joshua Tree 38 16 8 14 62 56 6 56
9 Cresson Drain 38 14 13 11 50 43 7 55
10 Nevada Extra 38 16 7 15 60 66 -6 55
11 Boyd Wildcats 38 12 15 11 52 45 7 51
12 Alvarado Damage 38 15 6 17 53 48 5 51
13 Greater Cresson 38 15 5 18 56 53 3 50
14 Hudson Oaks 38 13 11 14 52 53 -1 50
15 Southlake Dragons 38 13 11 14 45 52 -7 50
16 University Park 38 13 10 15 44 51 -7 49
17 Azle 38 11 12 15 52 61 -9 45
18 Annetta North 38 11 10 17 44 57 -13 43
19 Springtown FC 38 10 10 18 45 57 -12 40 R
20 Briaroaks Boulevard 38 8 9 21 42 69 -27 33 R




Grayson Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Pottsboro 26 12 9 5 43 34 9 45 P
2 Burns City 26 10 9 7 41 34 7 39 P
3 Lower Howe 26 11 6 9 41 40 1 39
4 Pioneer Valley 26 10 8 8 40 32 8 38
5 Woodbine LSC 26 11 5 10 39 37 2 38
6 Tioga Grizzlies 26 9 11 6 32 30 2 38
7 Hackberry 26 11 3 12 38 35 3 36
8 Tom Bean 26 9 8 9 34 37 -3 35
9 Gunter Rhinos 26 10 5 11 27 31 -4 35
10 Lincoln Park 26 9 5 12 37 42 -5 32
11 Stoneburg 26 8 7 11 36 38 -2 31
12 Muenster Underground 26 7 10 9 32 37 -5 31
13 Whitewright 26 8 7 11 38 44 -6 31
14 Soccer Bells 26 7 7 12 37 44 -7 28




Montague Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Staint Jo's Place 26 15 4 7 39 32 7 49 P
2 Red Branch Ancient 26 11 10 5 41 30 11 43 P
3 Bowie Hunting 26 11 6 9 42 34 8 39
4 Montague United 26 10 8 8 40 36 4 38
5 Gordonville 26 9 10 7 32 26 6 37
6 Sadler Formation 26 9 8 9 42 38 4 35
7 Whitesboro 26 9 8 9 43 42 1 35
8 Red River Station 26 9 7 10 36 35 1 34
9 Leo Ultra 26 9 7 10 35 41 -6 34
10 Capps Corner 26 8 8 10 28 33 -5 32
11 Spanish Fort 26 6 12 8 33 37 -4 30
12 Walnut Bend 26 8 6 12 36 47 -11 30
13 Mountain Springs 26 8 5 13 38 42 -4 29
14 Ringgold AC 26 7 7 12 35 47 -12 28




Ellis Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Fairview United 28 13 5 10 49 37 12 44 P
2 Glenn Heights 28 13 5 10 47 35 12 44 P
3 Crandall 28 12 5 11 41 36 5 41
4 Benbrook Clubs 28 11 8 9 39 37 2 41
5 Bardwell Underground 28 11 7 10 41 42 -1 40
6 Waxahachie 28 10 8 10 41 50 -9 38
7 Seagoville 28 9 7 12 34 51 -17 34
8 Edgecliff Village 28 8 5 15 41 45 -4 29




Johnson Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Whitt Park 28 15 5 8 41 30 11 50 P
2 Runaway Bay 28 13 8 7 46 39 7 47 P
3 Sanctuary 28 13 7 8 45 40 5 46
4 Millsap Railroad 28 12 7 9 34 33 1 43
5 Briarhill SC 28 12 5 11 46 40 6 41
6 Rio Vista 28 8 6 14 29 42 -13 30
7 Cross Timber 28 7 6 15 32 41 -9 27
8 Grandview FC 28 6 8 14 34 42 -8 26

http://spaam.mrdrake.net/flags/acapais.png Acapais Football League Season 6


Acapais League Cup

First Round
Bulcher Avenue 1-3 Joshua Tree
Rosston Plantation 1-1 Burns City (1-2 AET)
Pottsboro 0-0 Whitewright (2-0 AET)
Maypearl Uptown 1-3 Gunter Rhinos
Erabrough 0-2 Frisco Roughriders
North Richland Hills 4-1 McLendon-Chisholm
Southlake Dragons 0-2 Weatherford United
Runaway Bay 0-2 AEK Anna
Parker Hospital 1-2 Willow Park
Nevada Extra 4-0 Forestburg
Garner State Park 1-0 Leo Ultra
Lake Bridgeport 1-3 Sansom Park
University Park 1-2 Eagle Mountain
Nocona Episode 2-3 Sivells Bend
Fairview United 1-1 Bardwell Underground (1-1 AET) (Bardwell Underground wins 0-2 on penalty kicks)
Montague United 3-0 Sunset Strip
Staint Jo's Place 2-2 Kennedale (2-3 AET)
Pioneer Valley 2-1 Grand Prairie
Tolar SC 1-0 Tom Bean
New Hope 2-2 Lincoln Park (4-2 AET)
Millsap Railroad 0-1 Lower Howe
Alvarado Damage 0-0 Blue Mound FC (1-0 AET)
Paradise 1-2 Sanctuary
Sadler Formation 1-1 Crandall (1-1 AET) (Sadler Formation wins 4-3 on penalty kicks)
Muenster Underground 1-2 CF Bolivar
Rio Vista 3-1 Grays Prairie
Westworth Village 4-2 Dorchester
Real Melissa 0-1 Mobile City
White Settlement 3-1 Everman Local
Colleyville 1-2 Ponderbrough
Stoneburg 1-3 Hudson Oaks
Adell Corporation 1-3 Chivas Lavon
Tioga Grizzlies 2-3 Van Alstyne
Woodbine LSC 2-3 Corral City
Waxahachie 1-0 Farmersville
FC Allen 1-0 Gainesville
Lake Dallas 0-3 Alvord Town
Kempshire 2-1 Stephenville
Uptown Mansfield 1-3 Boyd Wildcats
Cresson Drain 2-2 Weston Place (3-2 AET)
Terrell Wanderers 2-2 Grandview FC (2-2 AET) (Grandview FC wins 1-3 on penalty kicks)
Bowie Hunting 0-0 Soccer Bells (1-0 AET)
Grapevine AC 1-2 Border Town
Hackberry 3-1 Pecan Hill FC
Richardson Infinity 0-1 Cedar Hill
Plano East 2-1 Mountain Springs
Carrollton 2-4 Greater Cresson
Edgecliff Village 4-2 Red Oak SC
The Colony 1-3 Wylie County
Cross Timber 3-1 Springtown FC
Gordonville 1-1 Fort Wallace Inner-City (3-1 AET)
Greenwood 2-0 Annetta North
Chico CF 2-1 Denton Ryan
Brock FC 5-1 Ringgold AC
Red Branch Ancient 2-1 Whitesboro
Mineral Wells 3-2 Bonita Sporting
Whitt Park 3-3 Hebron Central (3-3 AET) (Whitt Park wins 3-1 on penalty kicks)
Illinois Bend 1-2 Walnut Bend
Wayside Corinth 4-2 Briaroaks Boulevard
Lucas Railroad 3-2 Prairie Point
Celina Sports Club 1-1 Capps Corner (2-1 AET)
Sanger Axis 2-2 Duncanville (3-2 AET)
Spanish Fort 1-2 Seagoville
Oak Grove 1-3 Haltom City
Rowlett Rovers 3-1 Garland SC
Southmayd 1-1 Callisburg (2-1 AET)
Ferris Galaxy 1-0 Glenn Heights
Wilmer County 1-2 Northlake
Forney Outskirts 2-1 Benbrook Clubs
Sherman Wanderers 2-0 Moss Lake FC
Rosser Downtown 2-0 Sunnyvale
Red River Station 1-3 Irving Nemitz
Belcherville 2-1 Poolville
Briarhill SC 0-1 Krugerville
Rhome 1-3 DeSoto FC
Azle 0-1 Greater Justin
Shady Shores 1-1 Oak Ridge (1-2 AET)
Murphy City 0-3 Princeton Villa

Second Round
Pecan Acres 3-5 Joshua Tree
Elizabethtown 1-2 Burns City
Lindsay United 2-0 Pottsboro
Blue Ridge 2-1 Gunter Rhinos
Cockrell Hill 1-4 Frisco Roughriders
Briarwood 1-0 North Richland Hills
McKinney 2-2 Weatherford United (3-2 AET)
Marysville Hearts 4-2 AEK Anna
Fort Wallace 1-1 Willow Park (1-1 AET) (Fort Wallace wins 4-2 on penalty kicks)
Venus FC 1-1 Nevada Extra (1-1 AET) (Venus FC wins 4-3 on penalty kicks)
Dalworthington Gardens 2-0 Garner State Park
FC Crowley 2-1 Sansom Park
Fort Wallace Downtown 2-3 Eagle Mountain
Knollwood Blues 3-0 Sivells Bend
Midlothian Rovers 1-1 Bardwell Underground (2-1 AET)
SC Myra 2-0 Montague United
Coppell Underground 1-1 Kennedale (2-1 AET)
AC Godley 5-2 Pioneer Valley
Valley View 3-1 Tolar SC
Highland Village 1-0 New Hope
Arlington Athletic 3-1 Lower Howe
Dexter Sports 1-1 Alvarado Damage (1-2 AET)
Decatur 2-3 Sanctuary
Heath KS 1-0 Sadler Formation
Richland Hills 1-1 CF Bolivar (1-1 AET) (Richland Hills wins 5-4 on penalty kicks)
Peaster Jets 3-1 Rio Vista
Watauga City 1-3 Westworth Village
Greenville 0-0 Mobile City (0-1 AET)
Double Oak Woods 3-1 White Settlement
Annetta South 3-2 Ponderbrough
Pilot Point 2-0 Hudson Oaks
Lancaster Place 4-0 Chivas Lavon
Sachse Place 1-1 Van Alstyne (1-2 AET)
Cottonwood Sporting 3-3 Corral City (5-3 AET)
Real Talty 1-1 Waxahachie (2-3 AET)
Terrell County 3-3 FC Allen (4-4 AET) (FC Allen wins 2-3 on penalty kicks)
Burleson AC 2-0 Alvord Town
Copper Canyon 2-0 Kempshire
Denton Downtown 1-1 Boyd Wildcats (3-2 AET)
Cross Roads 2-0 Cresson Drain
Westlake Spades 3-2 Grandview FC
Trophy Club 1-0 Bowie Hunting
Krumshire 1-0 Border Town
FC Hurst 4-1 Hackberry
Roanoke Northwest 1-1 Cedar Hill (2-1 AET)
Lowry Crossing 0-0 Plano East (1-0 AET)
Hutchins 1-1 Greater Cresson (2-1 AET)
Balch Springs 1-1 Edgecliff Village (2-1 AET)
Pelican Bay 1-4 Wylie County
Haslet Greats 3-2 Cross Timber
Hatch Springs United 3-1 Gordonville
River Oaks FC 2-1 Greenwood
Aurora Diamonds 1-0 Chico CF
Bartonville 0-2 Brock FC
Flower Mound University 1-0 Red Branch Ancient
Lake Kiowa 1-0 Mineral Wells
Euless Makeshift 3-1 Whitt Park
Flower Mound 1-2 Walnut Bend
New Fairview 1-1 Wayside Corinth (2-2 AET) (New Fairview wins 4-2 on penalty kicks)
Josephine 2-3 Lucas Railroad
Little Elm 2-1 Celina Sports Club
Addison United 2-1 Sanger Axis
AC Saginaw 3-1 Seagoville
Bridgeport 3-0 Haltom City
Greater Mesquite 2-1 Rowlett Rovers
Lewisville 2-2 Southmayd (3-3 AET) (Lewisville wins 4-3 on penalty kicks)
Scurry Uptown 0-2 Ferris Galaxy
Lakewood Village 2-0 Northlake
Farmers Branch FC 3-0 Forney Outskirts
CF Aubrey 3-0 Sherman Wanderers
Cedar Hill 2-0 Rosser Downtown
Oak Point 2-2 Irving Nemitz (3-3 AET) (Oak Point wins 4-3 on penalty kicks)
Westminster 1-1 Belcherville (1-1 AET) (Belcherville wins 2-3 on penalty kicks)
Dallas FC 3-1 Krugerville
Glenn Heights 2-0 DeSoto FC
Post Oak Bend 1-1 Greater Justin (1-1 AET) (Post Oak Bend wins 3-2 on penalty kicks)
Makeshift Fate 2-0 Oak Ridge
Denison Palace 1-0 Princeton Villa

Third Round
Rockwall Rovers 2-3 Joshua Tree
Ansonbrough 3-0 Burns City
Ruffage United 2-4 Lindsay United
Kellar Central 0-2 Blue Ridge
Cleburne-Eubanks 1-2 Frisco Roughriders
Schulenburg 2-2 Briarwood (3-3 AET) (Briarwood wins 3-4 on penalty kicks)
Holliday FC 3-1 McKinney
Ennis Town 2-2 Marysville Hearts (2-3 AET)
Lois FC 0-2 Fort Wallace
Real Combine 2-0 Venus FC
FC Commerce 3-2 Dalworthington Gardens
Westover Hills 0-1 FC Crowley
Saint Paul United 5-0 Eagle Mountain
Trinidad Underground 2-0 Knollwood Blues
Argyle United 2-2 Midlothian Rovers (2-2 AET) (Midlothian Rovers wins 0-2 on penalty kicks)
Forest Hill 3-3 SC Myra (3-3 AET) (SC Myra wins 2-4 on penalty kicks)
Reno Wanderers 3-2 Coppell Underground
Tontovilla 4-0 AC Godley
Rendon Dynamo 3-0 Valley View
Lockney Town 3-2 Highland Village
Lakeside AC 3-0 Arlington Athletic
Springston Town 1-0 Alvarado Damage
Garrett Sporting 2-1 Sanctuary
Three Rivers 0-0 Heath KS (1-0 AET)
Hickory Creek AC 1-4 Richland Hills
Elkheart Spartans 5-0 Peaster Jets
Edgewood United 5-1 Westworth Village
Ovilla City 1-1 Mobile City (2-1 AET)
Natalia Athletic 0-1 Double Oak Woods
Granbury 3-2 Annetta South
Azle Sporting 3-1 Pilot Point
Real Malakoff 4-0 Lancaster Place
Maybank Place 4-1 Van Alstyne
Royse City 0-2 Cottonwood Sporting
AC Newark 3-0 Waxahachie
Seven Points FC 2-1 FC Allen
Shallowater FC 2-2 Burleson AC (3-2 AET)
Bedford City 1-5 Copper Canyon
Stinnett West 2-0 Denton Downtown
Sweetwater Rovers 1-2 Cross Roads
Abernathy Sporting 4-1 Westlake Spades
Clearbrook Town 3-2 Trophy Club
Kaufman Wanderers 4-2 Krumshire
Slidell 3-0 FC Hurst
Keenshire 3-1 Roanoke Northwest
Annetta City 2-1 Lowry Crossing
Highland Park FC 3-0 Hutchins
Lower Greenville 2-1 Balch Springs
Yorktown 2-0 Wylie County
Prosper United 2-1 Haslet Greats
Greater Mesquite 1-2 Hatch Springs United
Lewisville 2-2 River Oaks FC (2-2 AET) (Lewisville wins 4-2 on penalty kicks)
Ferris Galaxy 2-2 Aurora Diamonds (2-2 AET) (Aurora Diamonds wins 2-3 on penalty kicks)
Lakewood Village 2-1 Brock FC
Farmers Branch FC 2-0 Flower Mound University
CF Aubrey 0-1 Lake Kiowa
Cedar Hill 2-0 Euless Makeshift
Oak Point 2-4 Walnut Bend
Belcherville 1-0 New Fairview
Dallas FC 0-1 Lucas Railroad
Glenn Heights 1-3 Little Elm
Post Oak Bend 2-1 Addison United
Makeshift Fate 1-2 AC Saginaw
Denison Palace 0-0 Bridgeport (0-0 AET) (Denison Palace wins 3-1 on penalty kicks)

Fourth Round
Joshua Tree 2-4 Maybank Place
Ansonbrough 4-0 Cottonwood Sporting
Lindsay United 2-5 AC Newark
Blue Ridge 0-3 Seven Points FC
Frisco Roughriders 5-1 Shallowater FC
Briarwood 0-1 Copper Canyon
Holliday FC 3-2 Stinnett West
Marysville Hearts 2-3 Cross Roads
Fort Wallace 1-2 Abernathy Sporting
Real Combine 1-2 Clearbrook Town
FC Commerce 1-4 Kaufman Wanderers
FC Crowley 1-2 Slidell
Saint Paul United 0-2 Keenshire
Trinidad Underground 0-1 Annetta City
Midlothian Rovers 1-2 Highland Park FC
SC Myra 1-4 Lower Greenville
Reno Wanderers 1-2 Yorktown
Tontovilla 2-0 Prosper United
Rendon Dynamo 1-0 Hatch Springs United
Lockney Town 3-1 Lewisville
Lakeside AC 4-0 Aurora Diamonds
Springston Town 0-1 Lakewood Village
Garrett Sporting 2-1 Farmers Branch FC
Three Rivers 3-1 Lake Kiowa
Richland Hills 2-0 Cedar Hill
Elkheart Spartans 3-4 Walnut Bend
Edgewood United 3-1 Belcherville
Ovilla City 2-1 Lucas Railroad
Double Oak Woods 0-0 Little Elm (0-1 AET)
Granbury 3-0 Post Oak Bend
Azle Sporting 1-0 AC Saginaw
Real Malakoff 4-0 Denison Palace

Fifth Round
Maybank Place 2-3 Yorktown
Ansonbrough 2-0 Tontovilla
AC Newark 1-0 Rendon Dynamo
Seven Points FC 2-2 Lockney Town (2-2 AET) (Seven Points FC wins 2-1 on penalty kicks)
Frisco Roughriders 0-4 Lakeside AC
Copper Canyon 0-2 Lakewood Village
Holliday FC 1-1 Garrett Sporting (1-1 AET) (Garrett Sporting wins 4-5 on penalty kicks)
Cross Roads 1-3 Three Rivers
Abernathy Sporting 1-0 Richland Hills
Clearbrook Town 3-3 Walnut Bend (3-3 AET) (Walnut Bend wins 1-3 on penalty kicks)
Kaufman Wanderers 2-1 Edgewood United
Slidell 3-1 Ovilla City
Keenshire 5-0 Little Elm
Annetta City 1-2 Granbury
Highland Park FC 5-0 Azle Sporting
Lower Greenville 2-3 Real Malakoff

Round of 16
Yorktown 4-1 Ansonbrough
AC Newark 3-2 Seven Points FC
Lakeside AC 3-0 Lakewood Village
Garrett Sporting 1-2 Three Rivers
Abernathy Sporting 3-0 Walnut Bend
Kaufman Wanderers 3-1 Slidell
Keenshire 5-0 Granbury
Highland Park FC 1-2 Real Malakoff

Quarterfinals
Yorktown 3-1 AC Newark
Lakeside AC 1-0 Three Rivers
Abernathy Sporting 2-1 Kaufman Wanderers
Keenshire 0-1 Real Malakoff

Semifinals
Yorktown 2-2 Lakeside AC (3-2 AET)
Abernathy Sporting 1-2 Real Malakoff

Final
Yorktown 0-2 Real Malakoff



Elite League

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Keenshire 38 21 7 10 71 59 12 70 TQCC/IFFF
2 Highland Park FC 38 19 10 9 64 44 20 67 IFFF
3 Kaufman Wanderers 38 19 9 10 69 51 18 66 TQCC/IFFF
4 Elkheart Spartans 38 18 11 9 61 47 14 65 IFFF
5 Edgewood United 38 18 9 11 79 57 22 63
6 Real Malakoff 38 18 5 15 74 68 6 59 GC
7 Holliday FC 38 15 11 12 60 52 8 56
8 Tontovilla 38 16 7 15 59 54 5 55
9 Lakeside AC 38 15 8 15 59 54 5 53
10 Yorktown 38 15 8 15 53 51 2 53
11 Three Rivers 38 14 10 14 59 54 5 52
12 Schulenburg 38 15 6 17 58 61 -3 51
13 Stinnett West 38 13 10 15 41 49 -8 49
14 Sweetwater Rovers 38 13 8 17 46 55 -9 47
15 Trinidad Underground 38 12 11 15 48 64 -16 47
16 AC Newark 38 11 12 15 62 65 -3 45
17 Lower Greenville 38 12 9 17 55 64 -9 45
18 Seven Points FC 38 12 8 18 53 65 -12 44 R
19 Saint Paul United 38 7 13 18 48 71 -23 34 R
20 Slidell 38 8 6 24 54 88 -34 30 R




Major League

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Lockney Town 38 23 10 5 79 43 36 79 P/SBCC
2 Abernathy Sporting 38 18 13 7 75 51 24 67 P/SBCC
3 Cleburne-Eubanks 38 20 7 11 75 61 14 67 P
4 Rendon Dynamo 38 17 11 10 67 41 26 62
5 Forest Hill 38 16 13 9 68 55 13 61
6 Natalia Athletic 38 14 16 8 67 48 19 58
7 Annetta City 38 14 13 11 57 47 10 55
8 Ansonbrough 38 13 14 11 49 47 2 53
9 Shallowater FC 38 15 7 16 54 60 -6 52
10 Springston Town 38 14 8 16 56 66 -10 50
11 Reno Wanderers 38 13 10 15 57 71 -14 49
12 Garrett Sporting 38 13 9 16 49 54 -5 48
13 FC Commerce 38 11 14 13 46 45 1 47
14 Maybank Place 38 11 12 15 51 59 -8 45
15 Ruffage United 38 11 11 16 53 54 -1 44
16 Granbury 38 12 7 19 55 66 -11 43
17 Prosper United 38 11 7 20 51 67 -16 40
18 Ovilla City 38 9 12 17 45 66 -21 39 R
19 Real Combine 38 9 11 18 49 79 -30 38 R
20 Argyle United 38 10 7 21 53 76 -23 37 R




Minor League

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Royse City 46 24 12 10 83 58 25 84 P
2 Clearbrook Town 46 21 12 13 68 56 12 75 P
3 Addison United 46 19 15 12 76 63 13 72 P
4 Ennis Town 46 18 17 11 78 55 23 71
5 Cottonwood Sporting 46 21 8 17 77 72 5 71
6 Midlothian Rovers 46 18 16 12 63 49 14 70
7 Westover Hills 46 18 16 12 70 61 9 70
8 Rockwall Rovers 46 19 12 15 73 67 6 69
9 Kellar Central 46 18 12 16 68 66 2 66
10 Greenville 46 17 14 15 62 54 8 65
11 Post Oak Bend 46 14 22 10 68 62 6 64
12 Lancaster Place 46 17 12 17 73 74 -1 63
13 Glenn Heights 46 16 15 15 64 67 -3 63
14 Hatch Springs United 46 18 8 20 63 69 -6 62
15 Bedford City 46 15 14 17 68 70 -2 59
16 Azle Sporting 46 16 11 19 55 63 -8 59
17 Hickory Creek AC 46 16 11 19 54 66 -12 59
18 Dalworthington Gardens 46 16 10 20 63 64 -1 58
19 Trophy Club 46 15 13 18 54 66 -12 58
20 New Fairview 46 14 12 20 58 74 -16 54
21 Aurora Diamonds 46 14 9 23 64 82 -18 51
22 Venus FC 46 10 18 18 57 65 -8 48 R
23 Pelican Bay 46 11 12 23 65 79 -14 45 R
24 Lois FC 46 12 9 25 57 79 -22 45 R




Delta Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Makeshift Fate 38 22 9 7 73 46 27 75 P
2 Lowry Crossing 38 19 8 11 62 48 14 65
3 Balch Springs 38 17 10 11 61 55 6 61
4 Annetta South 38 16 9 13 55 44 11 57
5 Cedar Hill 38 15 12 11 53 47 6 57
6 Cockrell Hill 38 15 12 11 56 54 2 57
7 McKinney 38 15 9 14 64 60 4 54
8 Haslet Greats 38 15 8 15 68 63 5 53
9 Sachse Place 38 15 8 15 54 56 -2 53
10 Josephine 38 13 13 12 54 52 2 52
11 Heath KS 38 14 10 14 60 59 1 52
12 Dallas FC 38 14 10 14 61 62 -1 52
13 Westminster 38 16 3 19 57 67 -10 51
14 Real Talty 38 13 10 15 57 59 -2 49
15 Terrell County 38 12 12 14 50 52 -2 48
16 Greater Mesquite 38 12 7 19 58 67 -9 43
17 Fort Wallace Downtown 38 11 9 18 53 61 -8 42
18 Hutchins 38 10 12 16 54 72 -18 42 R
19 Blue Ridge 38 10 12 16 46 67 -21 42 R
20 Lewisville 38 12 5 21 48 53 -5 41 R




Tarrant Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 FC Crowley 38 22 8 8 72 42 30 74 P
2 Bridgeport 38 17 8 13 50 46 4 59
3 Peaster Jets 38 15 13 10 63 49 14 58
4 FC Hurst 38 15 12 11 52 40 12 57
5 Westlake Spades 38 15 9 14 63 62 1 54
6 Double Oak Woods 38 14 12 12 51 50 1 54
7 AC Saginaw 38 15 8 15 58 52 6 53
8 Briarwood 38 13 14 11 52 48 4 53
9 Richland Hills 38 13 14 11 58 57 1 53
10 Scurry Uptown 38 15 7 16 59 58 1 52
11 Watauga City 38 13 12 13 52 48 4 51
12 Coppell Underground 38 14 8 16 54 52 2 50
13 Flower Mound 38 14 8 16 48 62 -14 50
14 Denton Downtown 38 14 7 17 47 62 -15 49
15 Pecan Acres 38 12 12 14 50 56 -6 48
16 Fort Wallace 38 13 9 16 55 65 -10 48
17 Euless Makeshift 38 12 10 16 55 58 -3 46
18 River Oaks FC 38 12 10 16 50 59 -9 46 R
19 Arlington Athletic 38 9 15 14 51 55 -4 42 R
20 Burleson AC 38 11 8 19 46 65 -19 41 R




Denton Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Valley View 31 16 10 5 49 29 20 58 P
2 Lake Kiowa 31 14 10 7 48 34 14 52
3 Krumshire 31 15 7 9 51 40 11 52
4 Bulcher Avenue 31 15 7 9 33 26 7 52
5 Elizabethtown 31 15 6 10 63 40 23 51
6 Cross Roads 31 13 12 6 47 38 9 51
7 Farmers Branch FC 31 13 10 8 48 47 1 49
8 Knollwood Blues 31 13 9 9 46 39 7 48
9 CF Aubrey 31 14 5 12 42 45 -3 47
10 Denison Palace 31 13 7 11 47 42 5 46
11 Flower Mound University 31 12 10 9 48 44 4 46
12 Lindsay United 31 14 4 13 43 42 1 46
13 Decatur 31 12 9 10 49 42 7 45
14 Bartonville 31 13 6 12 50 44 6 45
15 Wayside Corinth 31 13 6 12 49 51 -2 45
16 Roanoke Northwest 31 13 5 13 50 50 0 44
17 Oak Point 31 12 7 12 44 45 -1 43
18 Callisburg 31 12 7 12 41 44 -3 43
19 Lakewood Village 31 11 10 10 38 41 -3 43
20 Highland Village 31 10 10 11 53 50 3 40
21 Marysville Hearts 31 11 7 13 46 56 -10 40
22 Moss Lake FC 31 12 4 15 37 51 -14 40
23 Dexter Sports 31 11 6 14 42 41 1 39
24 Little Elm 31 10 8 13 48 51 -3 38
25 Wylie County 31 10 8 13 44 48 -4 38
26 Copper Canyon 31 9 9 13 41 43 -2 36
27 Pilot Point 31 9 9 13 34 44 -10 36
28 AC Godley 31 8 11 12 44 50 -6 35
29 Northlake 31 10 5 16 44 51 -7 35 R
30 SC Myra 31 7 9 15 34 51 -17 30 R
31 Illinois Bend 31 6 9 16 45 62 -17 27 R
32 Sivells Bend 31 5 8 18 41 58 -17 23 R




Collin Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Garland SC 38 21 7 10 69 45 24 70 P
2 Parker Hospital 38 21 6 11 65 52 13 69 P
3 Maypearl Uptown 38 21 4 13 64 59 5 67 P
4 Princeton Villa 38 19 9 10 55 45 10 66
5 Richardson Infinity 38 18 9 11 60 51 9 63
6 Chivas Lavon 38 17 7 14 58 54 4 58
7 Grand Prairie 38 15 11 12 57 52 5 56
8 Lucas Railroad 38 14 11 13 47 48 -1 53
9 Mobile City 38 15 6 17 62 58 4 51
10 Oak Grove 38 15 6 17 52 55 -3 51
11 Plano East 38 13 11 14 56 47 9 50
12 Grapevine AC 38 12 14 12 52 47 5 50
13 FC Allen 38 12 12 14 52 58 -6 48
14 Rosser Downtown 38 13 8 17 55 61 -6 47
15 Oak Ridge 38 12 10 16 53 61 -8 46
16 New Hope 38 11 12 15 51 59 -8 45
17 Denton Ryan 38 13 5 20 39 53 -14 44
18 Rowlett Rovers 38 10 12 16 44 52 -8 42 R
19 Wilmer County 38 9 14 15 45 55 -10 41 R
20 Irving Nemitz 38 8 8 22 50 74 -24 32 R




Wise Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Everman Local 38 20 8 10 68 54 14 68 P
2 Sherman Wanderers 38 20 5 13 70 56 14 65 P
3 Haltom City 38 19 8 11 63 52 11 65 P
4 Poolville 38 19 6 13 60 46 14 63
5 Uptown Mansfield 38 16 11 11 71 65 6 59
6 White Settlement 38 16 8 14 56 52 4 56
7 Fort Wallace Inner-City 38 16 7 15 54 64 -10 55
8 Paradise 38 14 11 13 55 56 -1 53
9 Sansom Park 38 15 8 15 59 62 -3 53
10 Adell Corporation 38 13 13 12 60 52 8 52
11 Westworth Village 38 14 10 14 52 53 -1 52
12 Brock FC 38 14 9 15 51 53 -2 51
13 North Richland Hills 38 14 9 15 53 60 -7 51
14 Mineral Wells 38 14 7 17 53 57 -4 49
15 Colleyville 38 12 12 14 61 61 0 48
16 Stephenville 38 12 12 14 55 55 0 48
17 Greenwood 38 11 9 18 55 62 -7 42
18 Rhome 38 11 7 20 51 62 -11 40 R
19 Blue Mound FC 38 9 12 17 46 62 -16 39 R
20 Cedar Hill 38 8 14 16 53 62 -9 38 R




Cooke Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Prairie Point 46 25 9 12 70 48 22 84 P
2 Shady Shores 46 23 11 12 75 53 22 80 P
3 Sunset Strip 46 21 13 12 59 53 6 76 P
4 Van Alstyne 46 21 12 13 69 57 12 75 P
5 Greater Justin 46 21 11 14 61 53 8 74
6 Border Town 46 19 14 13 71 57 14 71
7 Forestburg 46 22 5 19 65 60 5 71
8 Sanger Axis 46 19 12 15 68 58 10 69
9 DeSoto FC 46 20 8 18 70 59 11 68
10 CF Bolivar 46 18 12 16 70 64 6 66
11 Rosston Plantation 46 18 12 16 65 61 4 66
12 Erabrough 46 18 11 17 74 66 8 65
13 Lake Dallas 46 17 12 17 58 61 -3 63
14 Red Branch Ancient 46 18 9 19 57 61 -4 63
15 Dorchester 46 17 11 18 67 69 -2 62
16 Gainesville 46 14 16 16 63 66 -3 58
17 The Colony 46 12 19 15 57 66 -9 55
18 Staint Jo's Place 46 14 12 20 55 69 -14 54
19 Hebron Central 46 13 13 20 54 58 -4 52
20 Ponderbrough 46 13 13 20 55 72 -17 52
21 Belcherville 46 13 12 21 57 71 -14 51 R
22 Burns City 46 13 11 22 57 76 -19 50 R
23 Krugerville 46 12 12 22 56 76 -20 48 R
24 Pottsboro 46 9 14 23 61 80 -19 41 R




Kaufman Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Weston Place 38 19 9 10 62 52 10 66 P
2 Ferris Galaxy 38 18 7 13 66 60 6 61 P
3 Tolar SC 38 17 7 14 62 50 12 58 P
4 Frisco Roughriders 38 16 9 13 58 56 2 57
5 McLendon-Chisholm 38 15 10 13 60 48 12 55
6 Glenn Heights 38 15 9 14 53 52 1 54
7 Pecan Hill FC 38 14 12 12 55 56 -1 54
8 Fairview United 38 14 11 13 58 51 7 53
9 Red Oak SC 38 15 8 15 51 50 1 53
10 Grays Prairie 38 14 11 13 69 73 -4 53
11 Sunnyvale 38 14 10 14 54 50 4 52
12 Terrell Wanderers 38 12 14 12 55 54 1 50
13 Forney Outskirts 38 14 8 16 54 58 -4 50
14 Duncanville 38 12 12 14 51 51 0 48
15 Farmersville 38 11 15 12 56 59 -3 48
16 Real Melissa 38 13 8 17 48 68 -20 47
17 Murphy City 38 12 10 16 54 56 -2 46
18 Carrollton 38 13 7 18 55 61 -6 46 R
19 Eagle Mountain 38 13 7 18 45 52 -7 46 R
20 Kempshire 38 10 14 14 54 63 -9 44 R




Parker Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Greater Cresson 38 18 8 12 57 52 5 62 P
2 Alvord Town 38 17 9 12 67 53 14 60 P
3 Kennedale 38 17 9 12 56 47 9 60 P
4 Garner State Park 38 15 14 9 64 50 14 59
5 Runaway Bay 38 15 13 10 55 43 12 58
6 Cresson Drain 38 15 13 10 68 68 0 58
7 Weatherford United 38 16 9 13 52 56 -4 57
8 Alvarado Damage 38 16 8 14 54 48 6 56
9 University Park 38 13 15 10 58 48 10 54
10 Southlake Dragons 38 15 9 14 49 50 -1 54
11 Chico CF 38 13 13 12 57 52 5 52
12 Hudson Oaks 38 14 9 15 59 54 5 51
13 Lake Bridgeport 38 14 9 15 57 62 -5 51
14 Annetta North 38 13 11 14 46 47 -1 50
15 Azle 38 13 10 15 52 56 -4 49
16 Whitt Park 38 13 9 16 60 66 -6 48
17 Boyd Wildcats 38 13 9 16 61 70 -9 48
18 Joshua Tree 38 10 11 17 50 59 -9 41 R
19 Nevada Extra 38 9 10 19 45 66 -21 37 R
20 Willow Park 38 8 8 22 54 74 -20 32 R




Grayson Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Corral City 26 13 5 8 39 31 8 44 P
2 Tioga Grizzlies 26 13 5 8 42 37 5 44 P
3 Lincoln Park 26 12 7 7 38 35 3 43
4 Lower Howe 26 11 6 9 40 37 3 39
5 Pioneer Valley 26 10 7 9 37 37 0 37
6 Gunter Rhinos 26 11 4 11 34 37 -3 37
7 Stoneburg 26 10 6 10 37 32 5 36
8 Woodbine LSC 26 10 5 11 41 46 -5 35
9 Muenster Underground 26 9 7 10 42 39 3 34
10 Whitewright 26 10 4 12 36 37 -1 34
11 Soccer Bells 26 10 4 12 43 45 -2 34
12 Tom Bean 26 10 4 12 37 43 -6 34
13 Southmayd 26 8 8 10 40 40 0 32
14 Hackberry 26 5 8 13 32 42 -10 23




Montague Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Whitesboro 26 15 5 6 49 35 14 50 P
2 Spanish Fort 26 13 10 3 41 24 17 49 P
3 Leo Ultra 26 10 10 6 31 23 8 40
4 Ringgold AC 26 11 5 10 45 41 4 38
5 Red River Station 26 11 5 10 44 41 3 38
6 Montague United 26 10 5 11 37 33 4 35
7 Bowie Hunting 26 9 8 9 34 34 0 35
8 Capps Corner 26 9 8 9 33 36 -3 35
9 Nocona Episode 26 9 8 9 32 35 -3 35
10 Gordonville 26 9 7 10 30 36 -6 34
11 Sadler Formation 26 8 9 9 29 30 -1 33
12 Mountain Springs 26 9 5 12 30 36 -6 32
13 Walnut Bend 26 7 4 15 28 40 -12 25
14 Bonita Sporting 26 5 5 16 31 50 -19 20




Ellis Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 AEK Anna 28 14 8 6 49 36 13 50 P
2 Seagoville 28 11 9 8 43 38 5 42 P
3 Bardwell Underground 28 11 7 10 46 44 2 40
4 Crandall 28 10 10 8 40 39 1 40
5 Celina Sports Club 28 9 10 9 38 39 -1 37
6 Edgecliff Village 28 9 8 11 36 41 -5 35
7 Waxahachie 28 8 9 11 33 41 -8 33
8 Benbrook Clubs 28 8 3 17 36 43 -7 27




Johnson Conference

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Grandview FC 28 15 6 7 53 44 9 51 P
2 Springtown FC 28 13 3 12 42 37 5 42 P
3 Cross Timber 28 11 9 8 44 42 2 42
4 Briaroaks Boulevard 28 11 8 9 43 33 10 41
5 Sanctuary 28 10 9 9 40 42 -2 39
6 Millsap Railroad 28 11 5 12 41 36 5 38
7 Briarhill SC 28 7 10 11 42 49 -7 31
8 Rio Vista 28 6 6 16 30 52 -22 24

(OOC: here is the runoff in case of clarity issues)
1 Highland Park FC TQCC
2 Elkheart Spartans TQCC
3 Keenshire TQCC
4 Kaufman Wanderers TQCC

1 Real Malakoff GC
2 Edgewood United GC

1 Trinidad Underground SBCC
2 Slidell SBCC
3 Lockney Town SBCC
4 Abernathy Sporting SBCC

As the second season of the West Zirconian National League looms, we take a look at the First Division teams and their prospects for the coming season:

Banks

Nickname: The Riversiders
Stadium: Williamson Park
Manager:Roy Hazell
Position last season: 1st
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Steve Gray
DL Stuart Ross
DC Duncan Hitchen
DC Brad Fearn
DR Gavin Mitchell
ML Lee Pritchard
MC Edward French
MC Tom Mahon
MR Robin Brown
FW Steve Griffiths
FW Matthew Love

Many commentators thought Banks' success in winning the inaugural National League was a fluke. Despite defeat at the first attempt in the TQCC, their creditable performance at Corivian side Seren Union suggests otherwise. The deciding factor in retaining their title is whether Ed French retains his stunning form. His ability to score from seemingly impossible midfield positions often acted as a catalyst for the rest of the team. With him in the same form, expect great things of the Riversiders this season.


Bradley Hornets

Nickname: The Hornets
Stadium: The Glen
Manager: Liam Simpson
Position last season: 2nd
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Paul Thompson
DL Ryan Gregory
DC Paul Neville
DC Michael Parsons
DR Paul Paterson
ML Nicky Shaw
MC Josh Brown
MC Andy Hamilton
MR Tony McHugh
FW Graham Moore
FW Graham Dickens

Pipped to the title by Banks on the last day of last season, the Hornets have traditionally been a strong team, and some shrewd transfers by Liam Simpson - notably in signing goalkeeper Paul Thompson - suggests that they will be challenging for honours again this season.


Bradley Swifts

Nickname:The Swifts
Stadium: Morton Street
Manager: Daniel Ford
Position last season: 6th
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Jon Griffin
DL Darren Butler
DC Paul Salisbury
DC John Kelly
DR Adrian Bryan
ML Michael Williams
MC Liam Hargreaves
MC David Demetriou
MR Steve Hodges
FW John Walsh
FW Peter Smith

Traditionally in the shadow of their city rivals, the Swifts have recently been showing signs of a renaissance. The arrival of Michael Williams plugs the awkward gap on the left, while Paul Salisbury is expected to tighten up the defence. This season may see them close in even more on the Hornets.


Civil Service

Nickname: The Bureaucrats
Stadium: Devereux Stadium
Manager: Mark Breen
Position last season: 11th
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Tom Lyons
DL Mark Francis
DC Nathan Winterton
DC Carl King
DR Grant Shaw
ML Ian Hawthorne
MC Sam Thompson
MC Robert Connett
MR Ferenc Lukács
FW Ryan Johnstone
FW Johnny Rose

The only team with no changes from last season. Consolidation or stagnation? You decide. Expect a similar standard - if 'standard' is indeed the right word - from the Bureaucrats this time round.


Currie

Nickname: The Ants
Stadium: Forder Park
Manager: Peter Walker
Position last season: 13th
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Carl Sinclair
DL Kevin Wright
DC Peter Milton
DC Andy King
DR John O'Sullivan
ML Duncan Collins
MC Ian Redmond
MC Pat Lawless
MR Alan Duffy
FW Gerard de Graaf
FW Gary McNally

Can Peter Walker carry on where his father left off? That is the question on the supporters' minds as the manager settles into new, yet familiar, surroundings at Forder Park. Expect them to struggle at first, though the signing of striker Gerard de Graaf may well prove to be the manager's best move so far.


Houghton Kestrels

Nickname: The Kestrels
Stadium: City of Houghton Stadium
Manager: Geoff Young
Position last season: 12th
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Claudio Calvo
DL Adam Campbell
DC Mark Dolman
DC Glenn Charlton
DR Mickael Holmqvist
ML Neil Gray
MC Kevin Acton
MC James Kelly
MR Stephen Mills
FW David Inglis
FW Lee Hall

Playing their first season in the new 35,000-seater City of Houghton Stadium, the Kestrels will be hoping to put the disappointment of last season behind them. New arrival Claudio Calvo should help keep the goals conceded figure down, but the signing of Lee Hall was, quite frankly, a surprise. Geoff Young had obviously seen potential which most commentators hadn't. Either that or this season could be a tricky one.


Markham

Nickname: The Meerkats
Stadium: Birchfields
Manager: James Hylton
Position last season: 10th
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Mark Garrity
DL Tony Mitchinson
DC Michael Faulkner
DC Ivan Curic
DR Matt Evans
ML Andy Daniels
MC Jason Murphy
MC Gary Reilly
MR Anthony McGowan
FW Ilkka Järvinen
FW Phil Evans

The confidence of last season's cup winners was severly tested by their poor TQCC performance, when they suffered a 7-0 aggregate defeat by Corivian side Harrington FC. Two new signings in Mike Faulkner and Ivan Curic could prove useful. The Meerkats are a popular side, especially among neutrals, so it is hoped that they can improve on their league performances.


Moorcroft City

Nickname: The Canaries
Stadium: Manchester Street
Manager: Vacant
Position last season: 16th
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Martin Ferguson
DL Ben Phillips
DC Robert Thompson
DC Scott Goodacre
DR Dave Small
ML Gerry Wood
MC Adam Williams
MC Simon Weiss
MR Gary Bryson
FW Martin Forster
FW James Smith

How are the mighty fallen - three of City's top players left during the close season, including Tom Jordan's departure for city rivals Moorcroft Wanderers. Despite much interest, no manager has yet been appointed, fuelling speculation that chairman Richard Bonner may take the position himself. Amongst this chaos, it would be a miracle to see them finish outside the bottom three.


Moorcroft Wanderers

Nickname: The Upstarts
Stadium: DeWolfe Stadium
Manager: Mike Evans
Position last season: 9th
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Craig Astley
DL Paul Brumwell
DC Mark Thomas
DC Jonathan Deakin
DR Steve Wilson
ML Adrian Wheeler
MC Tom Goodyear
MC Tom Jordan
MR Steve Miller
FW Barry Killeen
FW Stephen Blake

The Upstarts - the name was originally given in derision by the traditionally superior City - were the team of contrasts last season. They boasted the highest-scoring match in defeating St. Martin Athletic 6-2, yet suffered the biggest home defeat, 5-1 against St. Andrew's. Which team will turn up this season? Probably both, so expect mid-table - they won't mind, as long as they finish above the Canaries.


New Toronto

Nickname: The Exiles
Stadium: Ontario Stadium
Manager: Nicolas Lambert
Position last season: 8th
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Vincent Giraud
DL Jason Williams
DC Jason Lewis
DC John Marshall
DR Marc Baker
ML Luc Durand
MC Damion Hyde
MC Julien Boniface
MR Matt Thomas
FW Adam Chevalier
FW Lionel Martin

New Toronto's policy of only signing players from the local area was a noble one in days gone by; however, now that the country has a truly competitive league, it is feared that this policy may hamper the Exiles' progress. Expect them to struggle this season.


St. Andrew's

Nickname: The Saints
Stadium: Whitby Park
Manager: Carl Makepeace
Position last season: 5th
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK John Hopkins
DL Dominic Collins
DC Dusan Delic
DC Lewis Fox
DR Steve Johnson
ML Shaun Jones
MC Mark Brooks
MC Andy Wiseman
MR Ryan Farrell
FW Lee Green
FW Mark Young

The Snaith-based side were the surprise of last season's competition, but after the departure of their manager to seek his fortune abroad, and the arrival of ex-Canaries manager Carl Makepeace, most commentators expect last season to be a one-off.


St. Martin Athletic

Nickname: The Latics
Stadium: Olympic Stadium
Manager: Steve Evans
Position last season: 14th
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Wesley Johnson
DL Chris Prior
DC Iain Scott
DC Neil Stevens
DR Chris McDonald
ML Ion Marinescu
MC Graham Hallam
MC Andy Henry
MR Iain Fowler
FW Steven Fyfe
FW Aaron Hughes

The capital's traditional big guns have suffered these past few seasons, and it was almost inevitable that they would struggle in the new National League. They have the resources to survive at this level, and the signing of Aaron Hughes and Ion Marinescu ahould ensure that they continue to survive - even if, as expected, it is a close-run thing.


St. Martin University

Nickname: The Students
Stadium: Ellis Park
Manager: Roy Downes
Position last season: 3rd
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Phil Jameson
DL Scott Kovacevic
DC Dominic Catney
DC Chris Brown
DR Nick Cooper
ML Shane Roberts
MC Gareth Doyle
MC Patrick Williams
MR Matthew Moore
FW Jason Brown
FW John Walsh

Last season we predicted that the Students would pull off a few surprises - we never thought that they would continue doing so all season. Roy Downes has done well since arriving at Ellis Park last season, and we can expect them to be in the top half again this season.


Stanley United

Nickname: The Vikings
Stadium: St. Paul's
Manager: Tom Harris
Position last season: 4th
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Lukasz Karpuc
DL Shane Ellis
DC Michael Cross
DC Morten Jensen
DR Robert Walsh
ML Erik Nilsen
MC Mark Clowes
MC Ceri Hall
MR Mark Cassidy
FW Kjell Hansen
FW Steve Nicholson

It is no coincidence that the fall in Stanley United's form last season started with Ceri Hall's horrific leg injury at Taylor's Cross, as he has been the star of the side. He recovered in time to play 20 minutes of the 3-3 draw with Banks which rounded off last season, and will hopefully be aiming to carry on where he left off. If so, the Vikings can look forward to challenging this season.


Taylor's Cross

Nickname: The Foxes
Stadium: Metcalfe Street
Manager: Chris Irwin
Position last season: 7th
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Michael Hackney
DL Russell Munro
DC Gareth Patton
DC Matt Holder
DR Graham Lawrie
ML Matt Gardner
MC Stewart Francis
MC Craig Edwards
MR Leon Woods
FW Tom Kavanagh
FW Jerome Bennett

No-one really takes much notice of the Foxes, which has allowed Chris Irwin to build up a strong team with hardly anyone noticing. Watch out particularly for Jerome Bennett, who scored 18 for them last season. If he performs, another top-half finish beckons.


West Coast Angels

Nickname: The Angels
Stadium: KPM Stadium
Manager: Lee Quinton
Position last season: 15th
Playing Squad (First XI):
GK Barry Knight
DL Paul Hall
DC James Hutchinson
DC Danny Radcliffe
DR Fernando dos Santos
ML Ryan Carr
MC Matthew Brown
MC Paul Allen
MR Luke Young
FW Joseph Cartwright
FW Mark Dalton

Snaith's main team suffered a shocking season last term, and Lee Quinton has resorted to panic-buying to stave off relegation next season. Danny Radcliffe and Matthew Brown could prove useful, as could the temperamental Fernando dos Santos - if he stops his habitual sulk and starts playing. With such a changed squad, it is impossible to predict where the Angels will finish, but most likely it will be in the bottom half.

Matchday Seventeen: Errant Knights’ quest triumphant

Wow. It was almost exciting. If a few more players could’ve just conspired to have scored at naratively interesting times, we’d have had quite a Super 17 on our hands. As it was, it was kinda over by the first half, but boy; was a set of first halves they were, mm-hmm! And all on the same day at the same time as well, which was ever so good. Heaven only knows how the CMSC managed to wangle that one in direct opposition to what the leading television companies were hankering after.

To recap, the two Albrecht clubs were once again guaranteed the top two TQCC spots; though Turkish could do everyone a major favour by shipping up in second place and ending the current potential headache of a side finishing seventh-or-so and still going straight into the group stage. Five clubs were up for the other two open places, while one of those would miss out on global football altogether. Arrigo Portuguese, sitting in eighth, were a point shy of being in the running for the Globe C–

Hush! No time to hang about, fair reader, a goal hath gone in in Khatib-Gassett. All the talk of the town there surrounds Austin Lewis and Oscar Zois, the two former C&M under-21 stars found guilty of grievous bodily harm with event to harm a body grievously. The verdict was a given, the sentence? Lewis got eleven months with no chance of parole. Zois got four-and-a-half years. Of course, what with time dilation and all they’ll be out before you can say “Ah’m gonna smash yew round t’head wiv dis mettul fing, yew wanker,” but it still leaves poor old Derek Marshall and his Turks’ Club side hopefully short. He played three up front against Caires City, while no-mark right-back Stefan Guidi (is he still there?) slotted in at left-back… and the latter didn’t get off to a great start, all things considered. In the space of five minutes he’d let in Dionísio to score City’s opener, then had a little hack at Andrew German, a got a yellow, then a tripped Pep McGuire just outside the area, and got another, and got sent off.

It was manna from heaven for Caires’ third-finest of course, who moved into second. But no for long.

WHOOSH! That wasn’t the noise of Kirby Brightmore scoring over in Bove, being more along the lines of pp pp pp-pp, but they all count, as they say, and his fourth-minute goal for MN Smith propelled Marshall’s former charges back into second themselves. Never mind the medieval romances of the Errant Knights; this was a true fairy story. After the struggles that the Smith have endured over the last few seasons since their formation and meteoric ris–

O-kay… I think we can go back to the City of Bove Stadium now, where Jason Federici has just equalised for Cathedral City. That keeps the Cats in fourth, though in practical terms they needed a victory to inch into the all-important top three.

What happened next was a veritable flurry of goals, starting at the MSS on the twenty-fourth minute with Niv Cohen’s swerving shot past Lewis Piccioni. The poor Gamboa FC ‘keeper pulled a muscle stretching for the ball, but the more important fact was that the strike put Turkish 1-0 up and back into the top four, allowing more than a few sighs of relief from CMSC HQ.

Further goals came in quick succession in Lavange, with the C.A.L’s opener against McDonald SC (the Yellows would eventually go on to win 4-0), and Tom Smith’s opener for Green Island against Candelaria-Allemali. But it was in Clotaire where the major scoring event occurred; when José Luis Sosa collected a loose pass from Serkan Turkmen and provided Erik Kjaer. The Recluse Island native dribbled through the challenge of Arthur Walker and sent a low cross into the box. Tom Redway headed away, Careca headed back in, Redway headed away again… and José Felipe Cassumba Domingos took hold of the ball, beat God’s Power Adekunde and launched a curler of a strike from such an angle that Amis Cressey had no chance whatsoever.

Goals change games, and this one had the effect of propelling Marquez-Onwere into third. And there it stayed, though Jack Stafador added another for the naranja at Port of Clotaire, and Albrecht Turkish notched up a second from Gary Maini. But, though it was all very exciting, honest, there were no further changes of note.

AFC MN Smith 1-1 Cathedral City (Brightmore 4; Federici 6)
Albrecht Turkish 2-0 Gamboa FC (Cohen 24, Maini 81)
Caires Sports 0-0 Albrecht FC
Candelaria Arsenal 4-0 McDonald SC (Fields 26 and 64, Harouni 52, Morales 57)
El din Marbles 0-0 Arrigo Portuguese
Green Island 1-1 Candelaria-Allemali (Smith 27, Bradley 42)
KT Hotspur 0-1 Radyukevich CSC (Rotherwell 38)
Port of Clotaire 0-2 Marquez-Onwere (Cassumba Domingos 28, Stafador 48)
Turks’ Club 0-1 Caires City (Dionísio 1)

CMSC1 XXIX Apertura Table
Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Albrecht FC 17 9 5 3 25 13 12 32 TQCC (2)
2 Caires City 17 8 5 4 20 14 6 29 TQCC (3)
3 Marquez-Onwere 17 9 1 7 24 17 7 28 TQCC (4)
4 Albrecht Turkish 17 9 1 7 25 20 5 28 TQCC (1)
5 AFC MN Smith 17 8 4 5 23 22 1 28 Globe
6 Cathedral City 17 7 6 4 20 19 1 27 Globe
7 Port of Clotaire 17 6 5 6 20 15 5 23
8 Radyukevich CSC 17 6 5 6 23 25 -2 23
9 Arrigo Portuguese 17 6 4 7 23 21 2 22
10 Green Island 17 6 4 7 19 18 1 22
11 Candelaria-Allemali 17 5 6 6 20 20 0 21
12 El din Marbles 17 6 3 8 21 26 -5 21
13 Candelaria Arsenal 17 5 5 7 25 24 1 20
14 Turks' Club 17 5 5 7 12 12 0 20
15 McDonald SC 17 5 5 7 17 23 -6 20
16 KT Hotspur 17 5 5 7 12 18 -6 20
17 Caires Sports 17 5 4 8 13 19 -6 19
18 Gamboa FC 17 6 1 10 15 31 -16 19

And so, Albrecht Turkish and Albrecht FC get group stage appearance again (assuming that the CMSC still warrants them, statistically), while Caires City and Marquez-Onwere go into the prelims. The naranja are old hands at this of course, but it’s pleasing indeed to see little ol’ Caires City, playing in the little ol’ McNeil Bingo Arena, starring in the world’s premier club event. Perhaps that says something for the strength and depth of this contest in the Candelarias. Perhaps we just put the ranking numbers in incorrectly.

Anyhoo, the Globe Cup competitors will be AFC MN Smith and Cathedral City – a young club with a battered recent history and former TQCC semi-finalists respectively.

And as for the Series B Champions’ Cup…?

CMSC2 XXIX Apertura Table
Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Albrecht Independent FC 17 10 3 4 30 21 9 33 SBCC
2 Melin & Nader 17 9 4 4 21 19 2 31 SBCC
3 Ironside-Talinger 17 9 2 6 27 15 12 29 SBCC
4 Fallon United 17 7 6 4 21 18 3 27 SBCC
5 Alvery Blades 17 7 6 4 26 24 2 27
6 Castillo FC 17 7 5 5 19 19 0 26
7 Mayo Valley 17 7 4 6 20 14 6 25
8 Deportivo María 17 8 1 8 23 20 3 25
9 Sloane Wanderers 17 7 4 6 21 19 2 25
10 Abiodun North 17 5 6 6 18 19 -1 21
11 Swords of Bass 17 6 3 8 23 25 -2 21
12 Caires FC 17 5 6 6 18 20 -2 21
13 Miranda FC 17 5 5 7 19 23 -4 20
14 Clube Marquez 17 5 4 8 19 24 -5 19
15 Bass FC 17 4 7 6 14 21 -7 19
16 Brayton Town 17 6 1 10 19 27 -8 19
17 Khatib FC 17 5 3 9 18 22 -4 18
18 Maidment SC 17 3 6 8 18 24 -6 15

Quite what the purpose of this second new tournament is, is anyone’s guess. The wide disparity between the quality of the globe’s various second divisions and the fact that, in most cases, sides involved will be battling against relegation, will making for an event of dubious quality. For the CMSC2’s representatives, the case during odd-numbered tournaments will be slightly different, since the four teams here are still seventeen games away from confirming promotion, and it’s more than likely that a couple – or all four – of them won’t manage it. Here’s the low-down, though:

Albrecht Independent The Albrecht borough of Hoxton’s ‘other’ club (though in practical terms locals support the A.Turks, while the Indies’ fans travel in from Magnus, Sorres and the surrounding area), Independent under former A.Turks striker Ancil Liebeskind play an attack-minded – and thus far highly successful – 3-4-3 at the Army Ground. The fourth-largest club in the capital, Independent have a long history but have only come good in recent times – the prospect of having three Albrecht sides in the CMSC1 presents a logistical nightmare for the league, and the likes of Sam Mc O’Neil will be desperate to see the white-with-black-bits-clad side enjoy a long and distracting cup run.

The star man of the moment is a rejuvenated Andrew Abbott, following the forward’s move from Green Island. Big Murphy Matthews is vital in goal, Dave Walsh adds experience on the left of the attack or midfield, Ravid Pimenta captains the side in defence, while Rio Kwan down the right offers youth and trickiness. Forgetful little bugger, though.

Melin & Nader Los italianos inch ever-closer to the big time once more. The Marquezian club and their “burnt brick” kit haven’t graced the top-flight for a few seasons now, but Nathaniel Ferraro could be the man to take them back. Their 4-4-2 is led from the front by feisty little Leo Garza and gangly youngster Javier Pérez – both of whom would struggle in the CMSC1, in all honesty – but they have experience in Tobias Stumpf in the centre and a left flank of Howard Penrose and Genal Pareja. Playmaker Paul Purrier has promised much for some time without delivering, but has been one of the star men of the CMSC2’s Apertura in XXIX.

Ironside Another fine old name from the central Candelarian city of Talinger, they have two CMS Cup titles to their name and have been CMSC runners-up in the past. A strong defence, with full-backs Ebbrell Klein and Jonathan Sheibat adding experience to the centre-halves Shaun Jenkins and Martin MacGillycuddy, compliments a useful forward line of former C.A.L man Jacob Calero and trickster Adam Wiater, but the midfield is pretty barren and they could be easily out-muscled in the SBCC.

Fallon United Quite the smallest town in the Candelarias to have sent a side off to play global football, the Foogoos (no idea) hail from the largest town on Fallon Island, play in a rather striking Dark Elf purple at Somers Road in a defensively-minded Christmas tree (fitting, since a panoply of giant firs surround their diddy little ground). Much relies on the lone front man, Jean Moreira, while locally-born former CMSC1 man Joe James sits behind him alongside Amr Thunian. Elam Adams, formerly of Gamboa, is in goal; but nearly everyone else is either from Fallon or elsewhere in the outliers, including huge holding player Cody Arnold and the manager Jesse Taylor. Athletic young centre-half Hugo Julio, on loan from Cathedral City, may prove a deciding factor, however.

Matchday Eighteen: Here we go again…

…which is, legally, how the header to the second half of any overly reported-on league has to go. With a mammoth seventeen games to go until the formal close of the competition, and the places in global competition for the next year already decided, this is the time when things can become slightly stale, when a gentleman’s thoughts turn to courting and tennis and whatnot, and away from a bunch of sweaty men knocking a ball about.

One man who’s certainly resolved to leave all that behind is Derek Marshall, who sensationally resigned as Turks’ Club manager all of, ooooh, about twenty minutes ago. How’s that for punctuality? Marshall has a worthy reputation for rolling his sleeves up when the going gets tough, forged while at MN Smith, but the jailing of Lewis and Zois, and the latest defeat to Caires Sports, appears to have tipped the poor fella over the edge. The manner of the loss this weekend was certainly unnerving, a 4-1 drubbing in which Hague Parr put the visitors back into it late on at 2-1 before the Turks capitulated in stoppage time, and it served to plunge the Turks into the bottom three; but a single good result would see that change completely. Look at Thomas Larson and KT Hotspur, up to tenth following a 5-0 spanking of McDonald SC – another side on twenty points alongside the Turks and Gamboa – as an example of how quickly the world can seem all sweetness and roses again.

But as Wilberto Flinter (parents can be so cruel) strode away from Leon Towle and poked the Knights’ fourth past Fedde Jeffrey, Marshall’s face told it all. He just couldn’t be doing with this any more. A peaceful life of punditry awaited, and he said as much in announcing his resignation. The rumour mill has already gone into overdrive of course, as is its wont, with many claiming that Marshall is on the verge of being tempted back down south for the Gamboa job. There isn’t a vacancy there yet, at least not after a vaguely satisfactory 2-2 draw with the C.A.L., but the pressure is growing on Andrew Duffy and Marshall may be the wealthy Abiodun club’s first choice to replace him. The Turks’ Club board obviously don’t think that’s going to be the case, since they’ve accepted his resignation and given Giorgio Pezzoni the caretaker’s job. It’ll be the Kura-Pellandi’s second stint in the role – but perhaps this time it’s for keeps.

The Turks host Candelaria-Allemali next week – hardly a baptism of fire for Pezzoni, which may bring all the more pressure as a result. If Marshall’s timing left a lot to be desired, then Andy Woolworth clearly got things spot on. His Marquez-Onwere side slipped to fifth after a 1-0 home defeat to Green Island, swapping places with Cathedral City who battled their way to a hugely impressive 3-2 victory at Arrigo Portuguese. Performances like that should stand them in good sted for the Globe Cup, but MN Smith’s chances of standing up for the CMSC’s honour in that competition look increasingly slim. They didn’t collapse at home to Albrecht Turkish, to be fair, but the 1-0 scoreline was flattering to a pretty ridiculous degree.

Elsewhere, Port of Clotaire began an all too-late revival with victory at a rapidly diminishing El din Marbles side, while Radyukevich could only manage a draw against the TQCC-bound Caires City. One more game, and the Jukos will be losing three of their international stars to the World Cup. It’s going to be a long summer…

AFC MN Smith 0-1 Albrecht Turkish (Reizei 81)
Albrecht FC 1-0 Candelaria-Allemali (R. Edwards 24)
Arrigo Portuguese 2-3 Cathedral City (Cvecej 48, Carocha 54; Filmar 26, Ozi-Mayer 57, Federici 86)
Caires Sports 4-1 Turks’ Club (Kim 17, Baron 36, Kiefer 90+2, Flinter 90+3; Parr 88)
El din Marbles 1-2 Port of Clotaire (Quinn 47; Waywide 32, Donnelly 84)
Gamboa FC 2-2 Candelaria Arsenal (Richardson 45, Ely 51; Taylor 5, Harouni 38)
KT Hotspur 5-0 McDonald SC (Gallagher 34 and 65 and 76, Milton 37, Tensen 74)
Marquez-Onwere 0-1 Green Island (Young 64)
Radyukevich CSC 1-1 Caires City (Rotherwell 9; McGuire 42)

Matchday Nineteen: Bluh. Dee. Hell.

Hand Albrecht FC the title now. This one’s dead and buried.

Oh, alright. Forgive the melodrama, but the Scorpions are really starting to pull away and – XXVIII-style late wobble notwithstanding – they’re going to be a bitch to catch. And all credit must once again go to Andy Le Lan, who’s taken what remains a fairly ordinary side and made them into a steamrolling monster. The core of the Edwards brothers, Matteo Corradini, Joe Cunningham, Ryan Fattori and Francois St. Louis are young enough to keep the Scorpions on a role for at least another season or two, and the cash coming in from league and TQCC success will allow them to replace Peter Vanderpent in time. The defence is if anything even more impressive, with Loren Meyer emerging from a shaky start to be a hugely capable player. Dominic Amah may or may not prove to be Shane Wojciechowki’s worthy successor and there are still questions over Stefan Santamaria but, if his performances on the comeback trail for the reserves are anything to go by, the Zarblese right-back Valete is going to make this back four truly impervious.

You just can’t coo enough over their performance against Marquez-Onwere. 2-1 was the final scoreline, but that betrays nothing of the clinical way in which Albrecht despatched the opposition. Poor Ávindu Zulqadr and Mars Douyadari were pulled this way and that for ninety minutes, by a versatile Albrecht midfield, alongside Cunningham, who rationed their resources and allowed each player their chance to attack, defend and have a quick zizz, safe in the knowledge that if – as was the case this weekend – they forgot their shooting boots, their Zwangzugian colleague would be on hand to find the net.

Albrecht will be without Vanderpent for next week’s encounter with the El din Marbles, and it remains questionable at least whether Jamie Rawlinson can prove anything like an adequate stand-in for the game, or two, or three, or seven… It’s the not knowing that’s the worst thing for clubs like Albrecht, who naturally remain in the dark as to when the CoH will start and the CMSC goes on its annual hiatus, but even then they’ll as likely as not be losing Fattori to the Di Bradini. Truly this is a squad game now, and Andy Woolworth will be among those forced to use his squad to the full. Three players will MarquezOW be losing to the World Cup, of the nineteenish in total, and having slipped ten points behind the Scorpions that alleged title bid may already have faded.

A couple of other clubs will be divested of a trio of players, including Albrecht Turkish – the subject of the bluh-dee-hell. Heaven only knows how they’re going to score without their Zwangzung, Eesseffian and Capitalizt internationals but, on their showing in El din, more concerning was their Candelariasian backline. Presumably it was just a one off, but Steven Williams and co. were terrorised by the massive form of Teddy Ozi-Mayer, the Kura-Pellandi forward scoring a rare hat-trick before the no less bulky Emiliano Taffarel added the fourth. Worse was to come for Turkish, will Ciaran Kelly stretchered off injured. The Big Blues left-back could now be set for a couple of months on the sideline, and Cathedral City’s Alex Duxbury could be the immediate benefactor… if he gets over his groin strain received in this latest encounter in time.

The third club without three of the stars from next week will be Radyukevich, which is really the last thing they needed. A 1-0 home defeat to Caires Sports is simply below-par, albeit in a typically robust north-east battle they didnae deserve to lose entirely. There were a whole bevy of potentially Clausura-defining matches though, not least in Abiodun where Gamboa lost an, if not six-pointer, then certainly four-pointer, against KT Hotspur. Bottom of the table now; the fans, board and manager can see that there are clearly a few inferior teams in the immediate vicinity, but after McDonald Sports’ 2-0 win in Caires City – in a game which showed the value of having two fit Wasilew brothers – and the El din Marbles 2-1 win in Green Island, Gamboa and CandelariaAM look increasingly at risk of being cut adrift.

In the Shining Sons’ case, that comes after a first victory for Giorgio Pezzoni at the Turks’ Club hotseat. By just a Luke Cole goal it was, but with Manuel Zelzi still injured this sort of scraped win is just what the Turks need, and if the board have got any sense they’ll give Pezzoni the chance to try keep the Khatib-Gassett giants in the first division.

Albrecht FC 2-1 Marquez-Onwere (Vanderpent 33 and 38; Wojciechowski og 67)
Arrigo Portuguese 2-1 Port of Clotaire (Cvecej 83 and 90+2; Waywide 14)
Caires City 0-2 McDonald SC (P. Wasilew 11, S. Wasilew 41)
Candelaria Arsenal 2-0 AFC MN Smith (Kemp 19, Shannon 90)
Cathedral City 4-1 Albrecht Turkish (Ozi-Mayer 22 and 48 and 60, Taffarel 86; Telemans 31)
Gamboa FC 1-2 KT Hotspur (Richardson 4; Sattler 2, Kortsarian 77)
Green Island 1-2 El din Marbles (Yalçin 72; Watson 15, Naylor 78)
Radyukevich CSC 0-1 Caires Sports (Kim 51)
Turks’ Club 1-0 Candelaria-Allemali (Cole 18)

Matchday Twenty: Zip.

Christ. The first weekend without the World Cupping foreigners on board usually throws up some strange results, and it’s probably the psychological impact of losing a couple of your best players as much as anything. You really can’t read anything into it.

That is why this shall be a short report. Oh yes.

Clearly the result of the day was in the capital, where Albrecht FC turned out to miss Francois St. Louis and Peter Vanderpent just a tad more than the El din Marbles did Kenneth Quinn. Carlos Panadero’s side were under pressure throughout the first half, but Jamie Rawlinson failed to supply the Scorpions with the necessary cutting edge, and on sixty-seven their former star Jack Marshall beat the home side’s offside trap and played in Abdoulaye Soro. His calm finish past Stefan Santamaria gave the Marbles their first – they would go on to grab two more before the afternoon was out.

As big a boost it was for the Marbles, it was their city rivals who benefited even more. A single goal from one of the true stars of the season, Bloumany’s Johnathan Filmar, gave Cathedral City a 1-0 victory in Lavange that moved them to within two points of the reigning champions. With Teddy Ozi-Mayer and Michael Spelman not in the Kura-Pellandi squad and Eli Baker’s Frontenax a world away from World Cup qualification, the Cats are one of the few top sides who can pick from a full squad (save the current injured Alex Duxbury) and, with only the Globe Cup rather than the TQCC to worry about, they have to be considered one of the major contenders now.

Whereas it’s up to the Cats to pick up points during this period, the likes of Albrecht Turkish and Marquez-Onwere will merely be looking to survive until they get their big names back. Both had to settle for 2-2 draws, but it at least provided an opportunity for that rarest of beasts – Candelariasian strikers – to state their claims for regular spots: MarquezOW’s Brandy Dolan and Arrigo Portuguese’s Richard Johansson both getting on the scoresheets.

The sizzling sound of bacon being saved could be heard elsewhere, particularly in Abiodun where Gamboa got a vital win. Only a late goal from Cas Richardson sealed it, a much-needed boost for a player having a pretty woeful season for club and country alike, capping Gamboa’s 3-2 win over Caires City. The idea of sacking Thomas Larson from his role at KT Hotspur meanwhile suddenly looks inane, with the Spur up to sixth win a 2-1 win over MN Smith.

Albrecht FC 0-3 El din Marbles (Soro 67, Watson 83, LeCass 86)
Arrigo Portuguese 2-2 Albrecht Turkish (Johansson 24, Carocha 41; Westhead 80, Reizei 90+2)
Caires Sports 2-1 McDonald SC (Baron 8 and 60; Arnold 37)
Candelaria Arsenal 0-1 Cathedral City (Filmar 30)
Green Island 3-1 Port of Clotaire (Vidakovic 10, Yilmaz 35, Okeke 45+2; Donnelly 25)
Gamboa FC 3-2 Caires City (Castelão 34, Jua 76, Richardson 79; Varnali 22, McGuire 73)
KT Hotspur 2-1 AFC MN Smith (Milton 12, Gallagher 65; Knight og 56)
Marquez-Onwere 2-2 Turks’ Club (Siriwong 51, Dolan 81; Nxele 3, Cole 14)
Radyukevich CSC 3-1 Candelaria-Allemali (Tanzani 19 and 90+1, Ibadulla 88; Hamley 9)

Matchday Twenty-One: Dirie, Dirie me…

While Candelaria And Marquez remains, for all its lefty economic traditions, a rather straight-laced country when it comes to sex, drugs and loud music, one vice has always remained the exception to the rule – gambling. Be it as the vast casinos of Caires or down the local bookies, the industry all but props up the Candelariasian economy – and you can see why. Betting on the CMSC and other popular sports leagues like… um… the CMSC2 might be addictive, but those on the other side of the table are making an absolute killing at the moment. They won’t if Albrecht FC actually win the title again, mind you, but on a game-by-game basis they’re having a whale of a time.

But for a couple of goalkeepers it could’ve been a truly wonderful weekend. Oberon Martinez was in the business of proving why he’s still C&M’s number one with a string of fine saves against the C.A.L., of all people, with a still-hobbling Steven Williams and his defence frequently tested beyond their limits by Robbie Shannon, Gregorio Morales, Seb Cerullei and other crumblies and no-marks that a set of supposedly international defenders really shouldn’t have a problem with. Not that you can describe Rachid Hadji as such, of course, the veteran in for the injured Ciaran Kelly, and Albrecht Turkish’s squad was tested to the very limit when a seventeen year-old left midfielder by the name of Mohamed Dirie was forced to take to the field for the first time after Hadji himself tripped over his own feet and hobbled off.

There’s been some discussion over how the youngster’s name is properly spelt, but it probably doesn’t matter. He was woeful – though to be fair that’s probably his right, given his age and preferred position – and, but for a couple of terrible misses from Lemasson Kemp, Turkish would have lost convincingly. As it was, the Yellows had to accept Hamzah Abdullah Harouni’s (this probably wasn’t a game to let any members of the Association of Nationalist Parties or Christian Peoples Party watch…) second yellow card and a goalless draw.

The situation was much the same in Clotaire, where Albrecht FC found themselves properly under the cosh against the Harpies. They shouldn’t have been – not only have the PoC been awful lately, they were without the World Cup-bound Natalie Instonenext and the injured ‘keeper Amis Cressey. But the latter’s replacement, Finlay Tenorio, had very little to do and Stefan Santmaria’s reputation in the Scorpions’ goal was furthered by key saves from Lee Waywide and Kian Donnelly. Have Albrecht actually got themselves a reliable ‘keeper for the first time in years? Will it come to matter? Does anyone really care?

No, of course not, and certainly not in Saurin where the primary concern is at the other end of the table, where McDonald SC have hauled themselves out of the drop zone after a 1-0 win over Candelaria-Allemali. That the Dons are holding their own in this league is one of the major surprises so far, and on this showing they’ll be doing very well indeed to hold on to the likes of Richard Arnold, Ferhat Guzelis and the Wasilew brothers into next season. The Shining Sons meanwhile are in serious danger now, and the board must surely be thinking on pulling the plug on Paulson Gates. This is a big club that doesn’t deserve another relegation season.

Still, a few games can make all the difference in this league. KT Hotspur are now up to sixth, rather ludicrously; following a last minute, 2-1 win at Cathedral City. They surely haven’t got the squad to sustain this push, while Walter Tensen’s ankle injury picked up in El din may be worse than first feared, but Thomas Larson looks like he’s staved off the doubters for now.

AFC MN Smith 0-1 Caires City (Dyer 24)
Albrecht Turkish 0-0 Candelaria Arsenal
Caires Sports 1-1 Gamboa FC (Meakin 86; Richardson 45+2)
Cathedral City 1-2 KT Hotspur (Ozi-Mayer 53; Milton 45+1, Gallagher 90+2)
Green Island 1-3 Arrigo Portuguese (Desideri 41; Smith 7 and 26, Johansson 90+4)
Marquez-Onwere 2-0 Radyukevich CSC (Krstev og 11, Dolan 27)
McDonald SC 1-0 Candelaria-Allemali (Rose 74)
Port of Clotaire 0-0 Albrecht FC
Turks’ Club 1-0 El din Marbles (Bloomquist 28)

Matchday Twenty-Two: The kids are okay.

Andrew Duffy isn’t. He’s just been sacked as Gamboa boss. You can’t say he didn’t have it coming – a 3-1 home defeat to Candelaria-Allemali simply isn’t good enough given the respective talent on offer to the two sides. Or the cash, more to the point. Duffy’s had money, and he’s spent it on Aaron Abdellah (a seldom-used defender at Albrecht FC for a reason) and Akram Sabzvari (where is Ma Raque, anyway?) and Andrew Ryan (where are the East Antairees, anyway?) He’s risked all with a squad that’s just too young, and it just hasn’t worked. He’s still a very promising coach, and somebody’ll take a punt on him again, sooner or later, but for now Gamboa are in the hands of Tony Thorpe. Unlike Turks’ Club, who seem very satisfied with Giorgio Pezzoni so far, Gamboa are unlikely to stick with the inexperienced coach, though one wonders who could be tempted away from the CMSC2 when there’s global football at stake these days. There are former top-flight managers out of work or available from the lower leagues for a pittance of course, plenty of ‘em, but Coleman Mustard? Jay Zabojnik? Charlie Rushbury? Jaon van Deene? Andy Walker? Robert Kilroy? Carl Woods? Che Martín? The unbeatable Christian Ufuk? Doesn’t exactly get the pulse racing, does it?

Anyhoo, casting our eye around another set of nigh-on-impossible to call results, this weekend suggests itself as a good time to raise the thorny issue of C&M’s long-term goalscoring capabilities. You can count on the fingers of one hand (you probably can if you’re from out west, anyway) the number of CMSC1 sides without a foreign striker. Having one on board, be it a big-name Peter Vanderpent or an obscure Kura-Pellandi, guarantees shirt sales and, more to the point, guarantees goals. It’s hard to argue that that hasn’t been to the detriment of the development of their Candelariasian counterparts, and not for nothing do all indications suggest that Kris Healy is planning to use Ignacio Vélez as a lone front man in the CoH. Ramiro Novo and Joe Cunningham offer options too, and there’s always Leonard Pinto and the like over in the Corganen. And some fellow called Duncan in Cafundéu. We don’t talk about him though.

But where’s the next generation? Is that actually going to be one? Perhaps the era of the out-and-out goalscorer has truly now passed into history. Perha–

Or, possibly, we stand on the brink of the greatest selection of front men, big and small, hard and fast, in the history of these islands. Or perhaps not. But it’ll make for a different matchday report, anyway.

Tom Smith, 21, Arrigo Portuguese ~ The top Candelariasian scorer in the league, although given that he sits in the Golden Boot race alongside international Whos? such as Teddy Ozi-Mayer and Jamie Watson, that isn’t necessarily anything to get too excited about. A stocky lad, Smith is a reject from Green Island for a reason but may yet attract the attention of Healy – a player of proper Zapata stock, he’s robust, won’t fall down for anyone and generally gets away enough shots per match to ensure that one’ll find the target every couple of games. Case in point in the second city this weekend, where Smith put himself about but simply didn’t have the required accuracy to convert the Hueva’s dominance into a victory over the C.A.L. More eye-catching in that game was Richard Johansson, 18, Arrigo Portuguese; a lively, local lad who has the edge on Smith on height, if not yet in finishing.

Abdul Ibadulla, 18, Radyukevich ~ Sharing a birthday with Johansson, the bandy Jukos player has been one of his club’s few real highlights so far. Leaving former under-21 star Luke Naylor trailing in his wake, Ibadulla has at his tender age established himself as Julius Rotherwell’s natural partner, and must pick up the slack in his absence. So he did this weekend, and how, with a brace against the El din Marbles. He may lack finesse and power, but both may come and he remains a very threatening target with an unerring sense for goal.

Richard Arnold, 21, McDonald SC ~ Far from an out-and-out striker himself, Arnold’s nimble feet, range of passing and eye for the strike have made him the Dons’ go-to man in their first CMSC1 season, and if they do stay up it’ll surely be thanks to him. After that, the sky may be the limit – Turkish have already been a-sniffin’. It was his pass this weekend that set up Sacha Wasilew’s equaliser in Onwere to give his hometown club a vital point against the naranja. Opening the scoring had been Brandy Dolan, 20, Marquez-Onwere, a useful target for MarquezOW in Careca’s absence but not considered one of the Andy Woolworth’s current set of dreamy teenage talent.

Jason Federici, 22, Cathedral City ~ The great white hope of Candelariasian football has been notable more for the controversy surrounding his move from Port of Clotaire than his goalscoring of late, but Federici still possesses the runs and poacher’s sense which led to all the hype. Perhaps he’ll still go the same way as Kian Donnelly, 23, Port of Clotaire, Allen Gallagher, 24, KT Hotspur and the like, as a useful player but one who’d never hold down a place if the CMSC had more liberal foreigner quotas. But Catedral are in the top four for a reason, and Federici had shown in glimpses this season that his early promise hasn’t yet fizzled out altogether.

He scored this weekend, the Cats’ opener at the McNeil Bingo Arena, but it was just the start of an astonishing, and potentially decisive, game. Caires City ultimately emerged 4-2 victors after one of the most open, attacking matches you could care to witness, and moved above the Cats on goal difference into second place. Their TQCC qualification is no fluke – and we’ll give Elgin Dannat a proper old fêting in a couple o’weeks, after the CMS Cup reaches the last sixteen stage.

Back to the strikers, and still they come. Oran Baron, 21, Caires Sports, a well-built and pacey player never considered a top-flight prospect, but who scored his fifth of the season in the Knight’s 3-1 win at MN Smith. Max Fields, 21, Candelaria Arsenal, a player seldom involved with the game bar sticking it in the back of the net – but he’s doing just that for the C.A.L., given half a chance. Cas Richardson, Hague Parr, Presbury Ellis… and those are just the top-flight, CMSC1 strikers. What of all the kids in the second division; Jean Moreira, Javier Pérez, David Báez, Jonathan Oliver et al. What of Guillermo Ibarra at FC DePardenti? Or James Falconer at Natestadt Nationalisten? Or Lelliot-Leigh Sodje of Jerusalem United?

Yes, many of these players are merely holding the fort until more experienced stars arrive or return. Yes, in many cases it is merely youthful exuberance and a total lack of fear that’s getting them through. But make no mistake – whatever our footballing limitations, C&M sides of the future are going to terrify more than the occasional opposition backline.

Even if our own defence is going to be proper ropey…

AFC MN Smith 1-3 Caires Sports (Brightmore 57; Baron 11, Meakin 23, Valinial 74)
Albrecht FC 1-1 Green Island (Fattori 47; Fitzpatrick 83)
Arrigo Portuguese 2-2 Candelaria Arsenal (González 38, Johansson 81; Taylor 20, Morales 64)
Caires City 4-2 Cathedral City (McGuire 12 and 19, Dionísio 44, Burridge 68; Federici 4, Ozi-Mayer 8)
Gamboa FC 1-3 Candelaria-Allemali (Castelão 67; Parrish 25, Ellis 58, Bradley 61)
KT Hotspur 1-1 Albrecht Turkish (Knight 59; Knight og 87)
Marquez-Onwere 1-1 McDonald SC (Dolan 10; S. Wasilew 63)
Radyukevich CSC 3-1 El din Marbles (Naylor 5, Ibudulla 52 and 70; LeCass 90+4)
Turks’ Club 0-1 Port of Clotaire (Donnelly 21)

CMS Cup Last Sixteen: It does matter! It does! Shutupshutupshutup, I’mnotlistening, it does so matter!

It matters to some clubs, very much indeed. The history, the prestige of joining the ranks of great CMS Cup winners such as Di Alfonso, Dyce FC, Fallon United, Bass FC… Alright, maybe not the prestige; but the money, oh!, the money. Which isn’t quite as much as the SBCC group stage, never mind getting a few stages into the Globe Cup… Alright, but there’s a place in that very competition up for grabs for the winners! Except you do kinda have to wait another year or so, and it’s all pretty irrelevant if you make the TQCC instead…

Okay, so it blows, basically. But it’s the Cup, for heaven’s sake. It may not be named after an item of confectionary but, if nothing else, it must be a welcome diversion from the pressures of league play… surely?

Not for everyone, apparently. For the Last Sixteen stage threw up some excellent ties and some eyebrow-raising results that saw a few big sides wilt in the weekend’s oppressive heat. Great for telly, mind. TV1 and TV3 couldn’t believe their luck. Starting in El din, in the order that the balls came out, and the Marbles got things underway by takings things just a tad too easy against semi-professional Thoth Town. This cup run is the most attention The House on the Hill has received since the vampirical cult incident of ’77, and the Villanelles were destined to be local heroes (even the ones from Bove) regardless of how they got on across the estrecho innomado, but they did themselves proud for seventy-five minutes. Pretty much single-handedly, Thoth Town have raised the reputation of the quality of football played in their division, thanks to their performances against Castillo FC and the C.A.L., though against the Marbles their poor fancy-play went wasted.

They held their own until the seventy-fourth minute however, at which point a frustrated Carlos Panadero chucked on Nic Percy, who scored almost instantly after some beautifully lower-league defending. Natanial O’Leary added a second as the visitors surged forward on eighty, and it was all over, and there was nothing more to say.

Except… it wasn’t all over. Instead, defender Harry Follett (a plumber, probably) intercepted Percy’s pass and lofted the ball up towards Matthew Hazelzet (also a plumber, probably… they do tend to be), who nodded down for the quick (though otherwise useless) PE teacher Patrick Hughes. Evan Laurie failed to clear, and Hughes pulled one back for the visitors, but the best was yet to come. On the eighty-ninth minute, Hughes took hold of the ball again, skipped past Crawford Panama (he’s been tipped for the C&M CoH squad… oh dear…) and laid in veteran substitute striker Brooks Trajcevski (it’s not just in the CMSC1 where everyone has a stupid name, oh no!), who got the faintest touch on the ball to turn it past Aubrey Mkhonza.

And so, they took the Marbles back to The Mill, and promptly lost 3-0, but that’s not really the point. Because this is what the Cup’s for – putting obscure little towns on the map for once in a generation. Who knows what’s next for them? Maybe they’ll get themselves twinned with the Zwangzugian city of Arlington for very, very obscure reasons. Perhaps not. But the people of Castillo, or Lavange, or El din, or Candelaria And Marquez won’t forget The House on the Hill in a hurry.

Now that the swelling music has calmed down, we can turn our attention to the big ol’ capital, where… ah, actually, can we have the vaguely emotional music back up again, plz? Not for the first game, a woeful goalless draw, but for the encounter where KT Hotspur took Albrecht Turkish back to their place. What occurred was the absolute smashing of the world champions, with Thomas Larson’s rapidly improving side 3-0 up at half time, and then a truly stirring comeback, with the Millermen’s one remaining foreigner, the Fujisawan Hirokazu Reizei, on the scoresheet twice before Russell Maidment – an eighteen year-old we rather forget yest… uh… last week – equalled things up.

On the stroke of ninety minutes, Connor Tucker ploughed into Joel Sbaïz seeking a loose ball and, through no fault of his own, totally unintentional, honest, sent the C&M international ‘keeper yelping into the air and onto a stretcher. That could be Sbaïz’s season over – he certainly won’t be going to the Harmony in this state – but the Spur were not unbowed. They still have Ryan Gonzaléz, a vastly talented ‘keeper who really should be playing first-team football by now, who came on as their third sub, saved a penalty from Tucker, and watched as Allen Gallagher scored the home side’s fourth to send them through.

There will be Albrecht representation in the quarter-finals however – the Indies continued their warm-up for the SBCC with a 4-0 victory at Caires FC. There won’t be representation from the Candelarias’ shiniest city however, for Caires City were dumped out by Ironside and Caires Sports were beaten by a single goal by Gamboa. A third straight KT Hotspur v MarquezOW final is still on the cards however, with the naranja’s young Francisco Gómez scoring the only goal in their victory over Turks’ Club.

If all that wasn’t enough, we had a rare Melin derby, with Melin & Nader hosting the Melin Professionals. It could have been a fantastic game… instead, los italianos were utterly embarrassed by their lowly neighbours; James Hannah’s side going 4-0 nil up before the first half hour was barely complete. Their inexperienced defence was soon tested, and the home side had pulled a couple back by the thirty-ninth. The second half didn’t see another six goals however, and the Professionals somehow held on to record a memorable victory. Melin, as a city, has character, but isn’t always the most pleasant to hang about in. The spectre of CMS Cup violence reared its ugly head in the immediate aftermath of the game…

And the police dealt with it very well and the night passed off peacefully.

Sorry.

El din Marbles 2-2 Thoth Town SC (Percy 75, O’Leary 80; Hughes 83, Trajcevski 89)
~ Replay: Thoth Town SC 0-3 El din Marbles (Soro 3 and 45+1, Watson 56)
Albrecht Turkish 0-0 KT Hotspur
~ Replay: KT Hotspur 3-3 Albrecht Turkish (4-3 AET) (Kortsarian 2, Weis 9, Anderson 23, Gallagher 108; Reizei 47 and 70, Maidment 78)
Melin & Nader 2-4 Melin Professionals (Arenales 33, Pérez 39; Jerez 4, Pittman 26, Walker 28, Arreola 31)
Larrataff FC 2-2 Candelaria-Allemali (Johnson 32, Downer 64; Bradley 81, Mazzeo 90)
~ Replay: Candelaria-Allemali 2-1 Larrataff FC (Bradley 5, Eriksson 66; Downer 64)
Gamboa FC 1-0 Caires Sports (Jones 52)
Caires FC 0-4 Albrecht Independent FC (Abbott 35 and 90+2, Myers 46, Walsh 79)
Marquez-Onwere 1-0 Turks’ Club (Gómez 48)
Ironside-Talinger 2-1 Caires City (Calero 19, Wiater 67; Becchio 50)

Matchday Twenty-Three: Jukos’ challenge falls Waywide of the mark

The nature of Candelariasian football lends itself to derby games since, despite the near-universal popularity of the sport, the elite game has long been the preserve of a handful of the larger cities. The likes of Alvery, Bass and Vo are almost unknown overseas, as a result of their failures to possess regular top-flight sides while, beyond the capital, the majority of Candelariasian cities are known almost exclusively for their football clubs. Why would the people of Demot know of Clotaire, but for the wish to check up on the form of Julius Rotherwell, in between venerating groves and such like? What would ‘Khatib-Gassett’ mean to the average Kura-Pellandi, but for the sheer number of their countrymen now playing in the triple city? What Han, Blouman or Yaforite would know of Caires, were it not, etcetera and so forth.

What would the people of Uiri know of Clotaire, were i… Alright, they still know nothing of Clotaire, despite the presence Gari Kilod between the Radyukevich sticks. They’ve probably got more to worry about than football. This is probably a good thing, really. As much as the CMSC is desperate to get their product shown on as many overseas telly stations as possible, it might not have done Candelariasian-Uir relations (there is such a concept?) much good to see their (nominal) international ‘keeper let in five against the Jukos’ local rivals, and the subsequent barrage of abuse from the travelling Radyukevich supporters.

Port of Clotaire versus Radyukevich has always been one of the fiercer derby games in C&M. It has real history for one thing, unlike the modern contests in El din, Caires and Khatib-Gassett, and there are geographical and class divisions as well. In theory, at any rate. In practise it’d be hard to walk through the city these days and point out who’s a Harpy and who’s a Pigman, and they have pretty much equal support in the surrounding area as well. They’re even pretty equivalent in terms of numbers. Radyukevich are rather prouder of their newer stadium – but then PoC crow about the history of theirs – while the Harpies have had the better of life in the league – though Radyukevich won the CMS Cup a few seasons ago, and generally have more in their trophy cabinet.

As such, as often as not it comes down to the two derbies a season to dole out bragging rights, and the Harpies have well and truly got things sewn up in XXIX. The memories of that 5-2 defeat last season have long passed – instead, Nico Mason’s side have added a 5-1 win to the 3-0 away triumph of the Apertura. It was a victory of horrible ruthlessness, as the home side simply took apart the visiting defence in a truly callous manner. Those hoping that C&M would be able to produce a better show than of late at the sixth DBC joined the Jukos supporters in watching between their fingers – Hansson Kemp is just about the only age-eligible defender playing first-team football in the top flight, and he was truly awful.

The visiting fans turned on their players with uncharacteristic bile after Lee Waywide had put in PoC’s fifth, and Abdul Ibadulla’s late consolation only saited them by a smidge, but the board would be wise to ignore their pleas for Turpin Jory’s blood. The league is simply so wide open now, as this weekend proved conclusively. The most notable result was Albrecht FC’s defeat in Arrigo, after another performance that makes you fear for a Vanderpentless future in the capital. Their once threatening lead has been cut to but a point, ahead of Cathedral City, who inched another 1-0 win at Caires Sports thanks to Jonathan Filmar (he’s really good, y’know… how do we go about naturalising him?) and a faintly embarrassing slip from Harris Matthews (who’ll probably be Kemp’s partner at the DBC… oh God…)

Barely behind them though are Albrecht Turkish, who were entirely second best against little Caires City until going one behind in the seventy-ninth minute, at which point they started bothering again (they’ve beaten Yuba United and Soldarian FC and stuff… who cares about City?) and ended up coming from behind to take victory, thanks to a rather painful tap-in from Niv Cohen in the aftermath of an encounter with Felix Currey’s left upright that will serve to make the lad’s claim to the family business really rather dubious… and we’re not talking because of an excessively low nasal bridge here.

Albrecht Turkish 2-1 Caires City (Maidment 83, Cohen 86; Avdeev 78)
Arrigo Portuguese 2-1 Albrecht FC (Smith 18, Reddington 45+1; Rawlinson 74)
Caires Sports 0-1 Cathedral City (Filmar 56)
Candelaria-Allemali 1-1 AFC MN Smith (Eriksson 30; Johansson 45)
El din Marbles 1-1 McDonald SC (Soro 13; S. Wasilew 57)
Gamboa FC 0-1 Marquez-Onwere (Sosa 37)
KT Hotspur 0-1 Candelaria Arsenal (Cerullei 14)
Green Island 2-0 Turks’ Club (Osborne 84, Vidakovic 90+4)
Port of Clotaire 5-1 Radyukevich CSC (Waywide 16 and 79, Zetaback 54 and 70, Donnelly 55; Ibadulla 85)

The VFA would like to announce that due to the ESF Leagues being postponed for a season due to the recent tragedies inside the country, that the same four clubs that representeted the nation shall do so again in the upcoming TQCC. These clubs are (In order of priority): Raynor City (Rockers), Soldarian FC, Juavi (Reds), and Mar Sara (Flames). In addition, the VFA has voted that the 5th and 6th placed teams shall be the clubs that will enter the Globe Cup. These clubs are AC Valanari and Char Sara (Inferno). The four clubs to enter the SBCC are: Kareen FC, Manavawi Athletic, Everlin (Snipers), and Travesian (Generals).

In a similiar move, the Demot leagues have been postponed in honor of the nation that taught them the beautiful game. As a result they too shall be sending the same TQCC clubs: Santa Rosa FC, Likewell Kirk, Oceanic United, and Mirria United. Globe Cup clubs shall be Druidisian United and Freestone FC. The SBCC shall see: Mirria City, Samarga FC, Atalantian FC, and Ionnusyus FC.

Errinundera Football Association

Season 2147 Ladders

First Time Clubs to Contest Premier League and Second Division

Premier League
P W D L GF GA GD P
Ootopia 38 22 11 5 76 42 34 77 Premiers
Milosis 38 22 7 9 64 45 19 73
First Creek Falls 38 21 9 8 58 39 19 72
McKillops Bridge 38 20 10 8 56 40 16 70
Rodger River 38 17 12 9 58 44 14 63
Bonang 38 17 9 12 58 44 14 60
Deddick 38 14 13 11 52 45 7 55
Delegate 38 16 7 15 70 67 3 55
Mount Ellery 38 13 13 12 60 59 1 52
Bola Mine 38 15 6 17 57 55 2 51
Ellery Camp 38 14 9 15 47 56 -9 51
Tubbut 38 12 12 14 50 45 5 48
Monkeytop United 38 14 6 18 69 69 0 48
Bemm River 38 12 8 18 59 71 -12 44
Murrindal 38 9 14 15 39 50 -11 41
Malinns 38 11 7 20 72 80 -8 40
Puggaree 38 11 7 20 52 69 -17 40
Kanooka Creek 38 11 5 22 67 87 -20 38 Relegated
Forest Shining 38 8 11 19 64 79 -15 35 Relegated
Gelantipy 38 9 8 21 35 77 -42 35 Relegated

Second Division
P W D L GF GA GD P
Bendoc 38 24 6 8 79 43 36 78 Promoted
Murrungowar 38 22 11 5 67 39 28 77 Promoted
Waratah Flat 38 22 4 12 64 49 15 70 Promoted
Jackson Crossing 38 18 11 9 50 41 9 65
Cabanandra 38 18 8 12 52 41 11 62
Amboyne Crossing 38 15 15 8 63 49 14 60
Craigie 38 17 9 12 55 49 6 60
Dellicknora 38 16 8 14 44 52 -8 56
Victoria Star 38 12 13 13 58 52 6 49
Bally Hooley 38 14 7 17 63 59 4 49
Butcher's Ridge 38 13 7 18 68 65 3 46
Pinnak 38 13 7 18 57 60 -3 46
Wulgulmerang 38 10 14 14 43 50 -7 44
Glen Arte 38 10 13 15 52 65 -13 43
Yalmy 38 11 9 18 52 55 -3 42
Goongerah 38 9 14 15 48 60 -12 41
Club Terrace 38 10 10 18 52 68 -16 40
Three Sisters 38 9 12 17 57 72 -15 39 Relegated
Tonghi 38 10 9 19 39 56 -17 39 Relegated
Ino 38 9 9 20 49 87 -38 36 Relegated

Provincial Leagues Knockout Competition
Martin Creek Promoted
Combienbar Promoted
Hillside Promoted

Total premierships: teams
9 McKillops Bridge
6 Bonang
5 First Creek Falls
4 Fanny Moo / Ootopia
3 Ellery Camp
2 Delegate
2 Milosis
2 Monkeytop United
2 Rooty Break / Forest Shining
1 Bola Mine
1 Mount Ellery
1 Rodger River

Total premierships: provinces
11 Deddick (McKillops Bridge, Milosis)
11 Plateau (First Creek Falls, Fanny Moo, Ootopia, Rooty Break, Forest Shining)
8 Delegate (Bonang, Delegate)
4 Ellery (Ellery Camp, Mount Ellery)
3 Rodger (Monkeytop United, Rodger River)
1 Goolengook (Bola Mine)
0 Bemm
0 Brodribb
0 Lower Snowy
0 Upper Snowy

Comments
1. Murrungowar has been promoted to the Premier League for the first time. They will join Bola Mine and Puggaree as the third team in the Premier League from the Goolengook Province.

2. Hillside has been promoted from the Provincial Leagues to the Second Division for the first time.

3. The EFA will now have 2 derby cities: McKillops Bridge (McKillops Bridge and Milosis) and Bonang (Bonang and Hillside, also sometimes referred to as Bonang City and Bonang Hillside). Curiously, the two Bonang teams have never played each other and are unlikely to unless Hillside can make its way to the Premier League.

4. Forest Shining has been relegated for the first time since it was formed from the amalgamation of Rooty Break, Goonmirk Rocks and Sassafras Basin. Rooty Break had never been relegated prior to the amalgamation. For the first time ever Errinundera's Hall of Fame football ground, Frosty Hollow, will not be hosting Premier League matches next season.

5. Forest Shining fans can take hope from another amalgamated team, Monkeytop United, which has finished thirteenth after returning from just one season in the Second Division. MU was formed from Big Tree Camp, Monkeytop and several provincial teams from the Monkeytop District of the Rodger Province.

6. It is only 6 seasons since Forest Shining were Premier League champions. Their fall has been swift.

7. Amalgamation hasn't proven a burden for Ootopia, formed from the amalgamation of Fanny Moo, Cobb Hill and Lilly Pilly Creek. They have now won two premiership cups since amalgamation. The cups will join the two previously won by Fanny Moo on display at the Ootopia Forest ground in Fanny Moo.

8. This season's scoring rates are well down on the previous two seasons, reflecting the continual wet weather. (Well, most teams are located within rainforests!) There has also been a slight rise in drawn games.

9. There will be only two Plateau teams in the Premier League next season: Ootopia and First Creek Falls. This is the fewest on record.

10. The relegation of Gelantipy means that the Upper Snowy Province will not be represented in the Premier League next season. The breakdown by province of next season's Premier Division is as follows:
4 Deddick (Milosis, McKillops Bridge, Deddick, Tubbut)
3 Delegate (Bonang, Delegate, Bendoc)
3 Goolengook (Bola Mine, Puggaree, Murrungowar)
3 Rodger (Rodger River, Monkeytop United, Waratah Flat)
2 Ellery (Ellery Camp, Mount Ellery)
2 Plateau (Ootopia, First Creek Falls)
1 Bemm (Bemm River)
1 Brodribb (Malinns)
1 Lower Snowy (Murrindal)
0 Upper Snowy

CAFUNDELENSE LEAGUE - FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON ENDED

After many confusions in the country that led to the delay of the final games of the Emperor's Cup, threatened with a name change, the first half of this season has ended. As everyone in the whole world must know now, this part of the Cafundelense season isn't so important, being only useful to get the players fit (with the exception of the Emperor's Cup, which has some importance). The State-related competitions don't have big value. The most important one is surely the Emperor's Cup, which is viewed as an important competition, but doesn't come close of the National League, and that's why the smaller teams have more chance. The others competitions are State Championships, and the only reason why the supporters want to win this is because they have to defeat their rivals to get the trophy. And that’s the only reason that they exist too. The State Championships and the State Champions Cup have tradition, while the Emperor’s Cup has practical importance. See the names of the state champions:

JUTA STATE: Cafundó do Juta
LASFT STATE: Petardos S/A
CENTRAL STATE: Ranca Toco
TITÃ STATE: Galáxia
DUNBOOR STATE: Dunboor FC
OLD CITIES STATE: A.F.F.
ESPINAL STATE: Coqueiros
COAST STATE: Atlético Insular

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

THE STATE CHAMPIONS CUP

All the state champions played this unimportant competition. See the results (obs: away goals rule apply):

Previous Champions:
Season 1 - Tênis Clube
Season 2 - Petardos S/A
Season 3 - A.F.F.
Season 4 - Clube Imperial
Season 5 - Petardos S/A
Season 6 - Ranca Toco
Season 7 - Petardos S/A
Season 8 - Clube Imperial

Quarterfinals
1st Leg
Atlético Insular 3x0 Galáxia
Dunboor FC 1x1 A.F.F.
Petardos S/A 4x0 Coqueiros
Ranca Toco 2x2 Cafundó do Juta

2nd Leg
Galáxia 1x0 Atlético Insular
A.F.F. 1x2 Dunboor FC
Coqueiros 0x2 Petardos S/A
Cafundó do Juta 3x3 Ranca Toco

Semifinals
1st Leg
Ranca Toco 1x0 Atlético Insular
Petardos S/A 2x4 Dunboor FC

2nd Leg
Atlético Insular 3x1 Ranca Toco
Dunboor FC 1x2 Petardos S/A

Final
1st Leg
Dunboor FC 0x0 Atlético Insular

2nd Leg
Atlético Insular 3x2 Dunboor FC

Champion: ATLÉTICO INSULAR!

Reactions: A POSSIBLE THREAT? The victory of Atlético Insular in the Champions Cup surprised many football experts. Although the competition isn't an important one, the fact that the island team defeated Ranca Toco and Dunboor FC to get the title was seen as a proof that this team is able to defeat even the strongest teams of the league, and must be taken seriously in the league. Everyone now expects Atlético Insular to reach at least the top 8 in the league results, as the team showed strength to do so.

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

THE EMPEROR'S CUP

The republic didn't appear. So, the competition avoided being called "President's Cup". But, the new ruler of Cafundéu is a woman. So why isn't the competition called "Empress Cup"? The fact is, it should, but there was no time to make these changes for this season. It'll happen in the next one.

A bigger competition than the last ones, it involves 64 teams. See the results (obs: no away goals rule):

Previous Champions:
Season 1 - Petardos S/A
Season 2 - Dunboor FC
Season 3 - Petardos S/A
Season 4 - Central United
Season 5 - Clube Imperial
Season 6 - Cafundó do Juta
Season 7 - Clube Imperial
Season 8 - Khalmar-Tijhus

In blue, games considered huge. In red, a game is a city/state derby. If in purple underlined italics, the game is huge and a derby.

Round of 64
1st Leg
U.D.E.U. 1x5 Clube Imperial
Espinalense 0x4 Atlético Insular
Vila Velha 2x2 Royal Pollvogarad
Amigos do Pebolim 1x3 A.F.F.
Engenheiro Peres 0x2 Faculdade de Medicina
São Jorge 1x1 Khalmar-Tijhus
Moto Clube 1x1 Aliança
Imperatriz 0x3 Penders
Marinha 2x4 Pernetas EC
Tênis Clube 0x9 Petardos S/A
Legião de Srieth 1x2 Dunboor FC
Forças Armadas 0x3 Nacional da Cruz
Varzeano 0x1 Atlético Jutense
Mocidade 2x1 Central United
Pico da Neblina 3x3 Galáxia
Carandirú 0x1 Metropolitano
Serrano 1x1 Tabajara
Globo Multimedia 1x4 Sambarilove
Rio Bonito 0x3 Ranca Toco
SC Carnavalesco 0x6 Cafundó do Juta
Cristãos 1x2 Porto Lacruz
Tio João 2x1 SC Lasft
Mondragon Warriors 3x1 Coqueiros
União 1x0 Agreman FH
Massaranduba FC 1x3 América
Dínamo de Natal 2x2 EC Elville
Ferroviário 3x1 São José
C-Electronics 0x2 União Trabalhadora
Lusitânio 2x4 Petrol
Supersônicos 2x1 CR Submiria
Aldeia Vigiah 1x3 Clube dos Banqueiros
Cosmopolita 0x4 Clube Comercial

2nd Leg
Clube Imperial 3x0 U.D.E.U.
Atlético Insular 2x0 Espinalense
Royal Pollvogarad 0x0 Vila Velha (0-3 on penalties)
A.F.F. 4x0 Amigos do Pebolim
Faculdade de Medicina 1x2 Engenheiro Peres
Khalmar-Tijhus 3x1 São Jorge
Aliança 1x0 Moto Clube
Penders 3x2 Imperatriz
Pernetas EC 3x0 Marinha
Petardos S/A 2x1 Tênis Clube
Dunboor FC 11x1 Legião de Srieth
Nacional da Cruz 2x2 Forças Armadas
Atlético Jutense 4x1 Varzeano
Central United 2x0 Mocidade
Galáxia 1x0 Pico da Neblina
Metropolitano 3x2 Carandirú
Tabajara 2x3 Serrano
Sambarilove 3x3 Globo Multimedia
Ranca Toco 0x0 Rio Bonito
Cafundó do Juta 4x2 SC Carnavalesco
Porto Lacruz 1x2 Cristãos (5-4 on penalties)
SC Lasft 4x1 Tio João
Mondragon Warriors 0x2 Coqueiros (3-4 on penalties)
Agreman FH 1x1 União
América 2x0 Massaranduba FC
EC Elville 2x2 Dínamo de Natal (7-8 on penalties)
São José 5x3 Ferroviário (2-3 on penalties)
União Trabalhadora 1x2 C-Electronics
Petrol 1x0 Lusitânio
CR Submiria 3x2 Supersônicos (5-4 on penalties)
Clube dos Banqueiros 2x0 Aldeia Vigiah
Clube Comercial 3x1 Cosmopolita

Round of 32
1st Leg
Clube Comercial 1x1 Clube Imperial
Clube dos Banqueiros 0x2 Atlético Insular
CR Submiria 2x1 Vila Velha
Petrol 2x4 A.F.F.
União Trabalhadora 0x0 Faculdade de Medicina
Ferroviário 1x3 Khalmar-Tijhus
Dínamo de Natal 3x1 Aliança
América 1x2 Penders
União 3x0 Pernetas EC
Coqueiros 1x4 Petardos S/A
SC Lasft 2x2 Dunboor FC
Porto Lacruz 1x1 Nacional da Cruz
Cafundó do Juta 2x2 Atlético Jutense
Ranca Toco 3x1 Central United
Sambarilove 1x0 Galáxia
Serrano 1x2 Metropolitano


2nd Leg
Clube Imperial 2x0 Clube Comercial
Atlético Insular 0x0 Clube dos Banqueiros
Vila Velha 1x3 CR Submiria
A.F.F. 1x1 Petrol
Faculdade de Medicina 2x2 União Trabalhadora (5-3 on penalties)
Khalmar-Tijhus 3x0 Ferroviário
Aliança 3x1 Dínamo de Natal (6-5 on penalties)
Penders 0x2 América
Pernetas EC 2x1 União
Petardos S/A 1x0 Coqueiros
Dunboor FC 0x1 SC Lasft
Nacional da Cruz 1x1 Porto Lacruz (3-4 on penalties)
Atlético Jutense 1x1 Cafundó do Juta (9-8 on penalties)
Central United 1x2 Ranca Toco
Galáxia 3x0 Sambarilove
Metropolitano 3x2 Serrano

Round of 16 (Oitavas-de-final)
1st Leg
Metropolitano 2x1 Clube Imperial
Galáxia 3x0 Atlético Insular
Ranca Toco 1x1 CR Submiria
Atlético Jutense 1x3 A.F.F.
Porto Lacruz 2x2 Faculdade de Medicina
SC Lasft 2x1 Khalmar-Tijhus
Petardos S/A 4x0 Aliança
União 2x5 América

2nd Leg
Clube Imperial 0x0 Metropolitano
Atlético Insular 3x0 Galáxia (5-3 on penalties)
CR Submiria 0x1 Ranca Toco
A.F.F. 1x1 Atlético Jutense
Faculdade de Medicina 0x0 Porto Lacruz (2-4 on penalties)
Khalmar-Tijhus 3x1 SC Lasft
Aliança 1x2 Petardos S/A
América 4x3 União

Quarterfinals
1st Leg
América 2x0 Metropolitano
Petardos S/A 1x1 Atlético Insular
Khalmar-Tijhus 0x0 Ranca Toco
Porto Lacruz 1x3 A.F.F.

2nd Leg
Metropolitano 4x1 América
Atlético Insular 2x0 Petardos S/A
Ranca Toco 0x0 Khalmar-Tijhus (4-2 on penalties)
A.F.F. 1x0 Porto Lacruz

Semifinals
1st Leg
A.F.F. 3x1 Metropolitano
Ranca Toco 2x2 Atlético Insular

2nd Leg
Metropolitano 0x1 A.F.F.
Atlético Insular 2x1 Ranca Toco

Final
1st Leg
A.F.F. 3x0 Atlético Insular

The live match report of this game:

[17:27] * Cafundeu finishes scorinating the Emperor's Cup, which results will be posted later
[17:27] <Cafundeu> the final is A.F.F. x Atlético Insular
[17:34] * Cafundeu starts live transmission of Emperor Cup's first game final, in Abadia
[17:37] <Cafundeu> A.F.F. enters in the field with: Zecão; Whitecroft, Silveira and Eduardo Monte; Pasarap, Prescott, Augusto César and Neto; Heitor, Fausto and Kose.
[17:39] <Vephrall> woo, go A.F.F.!
[17:39] <Cafundeu> Atlético Insular has: Amutarrad; Severiano, Moraes, Tuff and Vega; Edsanderson, Lionel and Sytrobes; Sinclair, Tales and Hool.
[17:39] <Vephrall> oh wait, I have a player on both teams
[17:39] <Vephrall> hm, that makes this more difficult
[17:40] <IniestaIsMyGod> I have no players on either team
[17:40] <IniestaIsMyGod> actually what did happen to that Sortherner I sold to a team in Cafendeu?
[17:41] <Cafundeu> oh, the goalkeeper... I think he is still in the same team, let me check
[17:42] <IniestaIsMyGod> Petrodas was it?
[17:42] <Cafundeu> no
[17:42] <IniestaIsMyGod> oh
[17:42] <IniestaIsMyGod> actually what was his name? :S
[17:42] <Cafundeu> Palmer
[17:43] <IniestaIsMyGod> ah yeah George Palmer
[17:43] <Cafundeu> here it is: after WC40, he got retired to enter in the army
[17:43] <IniestaIsMyGod> ah oj
[17:43] <IniestaIsMyGod> *ok
[17:44] <Cafundeu> so now my league doesn't have any Sorth players
[17:44] <IniestaIsMyGod> it's probably better for it
[17:45] <Cafundeu> well, The Scout will be back to work soon...
[17:45] <IniestaIsMyGod> and we should hopefully have a good CoH
[17:45] <Cafundeu> 5th minute: Prescott takes ball in the midfield, dribbles Lionel and makes excellent pass to Heitor, who invades the area and shoots. Amutarrad makes a secure save.
[17:48] <IniestaIsMyGod> wts? Lazio have bought out a shirt specifically for the Rome derby
[17:52] <Cafundeu> 12th minute: Sinclair loses the ball and A.F.F. starts a fast counterattack. Silveira sends the ball to Sinan Kose, who avoids the defender and shoots. The ball hits the post and leaves the playing field.
[17:56] <Cafundeu> 16th minute: Sytrobes runs to the attack and makes pass to Tales. But, the attacker hesitates to shoot and loses the ball to Eduardo Monte.
[18:01] <Cafundeu> 21st minute: Penalty for A.F.F.! Neto crosses the ball, the defence fails to clear the danger and Prescott takes it. When he tries to dribble Tuff, he is pushed. Yellow card to the Jeruselem player.
[18:02] <Cafundeu> 22nd minute: GOAL for A.F.F.! Heitor takes the penalty perfectly, giving no chance to the goalkeeper. Amutarrad complains of an area invasion, and is shown the yellow card.
[18:05] <Cafundeu> 25th minute: Atlético Insular has difficulties to react after suffering the goal, while A.F.F. seems to dominate the ball possession, motivated by its supporters.
[18:10] <Cafundeu> 30th minute: Edsanderson misses a pass and Pasarap collects the ball. He tries a long ranged shot, but the ball goes over the bar. Goal kick.
[18:13] <Cafundeu> 33rd minute: Silveira tries to stop Hool near the entrance of the area and makes a foul. Yellow card to the Cafundelense National. Good chance for Atlético.
[18:14] <Cafundeu> 34th minute: Sytrobes takes the free kick, and Zecão makes a wonderful save. Corner kick.
[18:14] <Cafundeu> 34th minute: Lionel takes the corner, and the defence clears the danger.
[18:18] <Cafundeu> 38th minute: Prescott receives the ball from Whitecroft and attacks. He exchanges passes with Kose, who ends shooting the ball to the goal. Amutarrad saves, Fausto takes the rebound and shoots, but in an offside position. Disallowed goal and excellent opportunity for A.F.F.
[18:18] <Kose|Turkish> damn.
[18:19] <IniestaIsMyGod> can Kose get injured already?
[18:19] <Kose|Turkish> NI!
[18:19] <Kose|Turkish> NO!
[18:19] <Kose|Turkish> I'll kick some irish ass if he doea
[18:19] <IniestaIsMyGod> but it'd be realistic
[18:19] <Kose|Turkish> does*
[18:19] <Bostopia> ...what's going on?
[18:19] <IniestaIsMyGod> Emperor's Cup final
[18:20] <IniestaIsMyGod> Kose's in it for some reason
[18:20] <Kose|Turkish> tbh I've never got injured in a match
[18:20] <Cafundeu> 40th minute: Neto crosses the ball. Amutarrad fails to reach it and Heitor heads with strength. Unfortunately for A.F.F., Vega appears in the right time to stop the ball from entering in the goal. Heitor can't believe it wasn't a goal.
[18:20] <IniestaIsMyGod> Godmodding 9_9
[18:20] <Kose|Turkish> so it is realistic
[18:20] <Kose|Turkish> the worst thats happened is a broken toe
[18:20] <Cafundeu> 40th minute: A.F.F. much better in the game, seems closer to score again. Atlético Insular waits for a defensive mistake to attack.
[18:21] <IniestaIsMyGod> you're also not a Prince of a nation or something irl so it's not realistic anyway
[18:21] <Kose|Turkish> so why are we argueing agaain
[18:24] <Cafundeu> 44th minute: referee Márcio Plenário gives two minutes of injury time.
[18:25] <Cafundeu> 45th minute: corner kick to A.F.F. Neto crosses the ball, Augusto César hits it with a volley. The ball hits the bar and Severiano wins the battle with Kose to take the rebound. Kose starts to argue with Severiano about a possible penalty, the referee warns them.
[18:25] <Kose|Turkish> ahh argue... now we're hitting reality
[18:27] <Cafundeu> End of the first half. With a goal scored from a penalty kick, A.F.F. leads the game and seems to have it under control. Atlético Insular needs to change if wants a better result. Many chances missed worry the players.
[18:30] <IniestaIsMyGod> <Kose|Turkish> so why are we argueing agaain <- I like arguing
[18:30] <Kose|Turkish> hmm really
[18:30] <Kose|Turkish> tbh I suddenly feel very tired of arguing
[18:42] <Cafundeu> Teams start returning for the second half
[18:43] <Cafundeu> Substitution in Atlético Insular: 11-Vuhumara enters in the place of 18-Sinclair
[18:45] <Cafundeu> Second half starts. With a new attacker, Atlético Insular wants to react, while A.F.F. wants to keep the good performance of the first half.
[18:48] <Cafundeu> 3rd minute: fast attack by Atlético. Severiano passes the ball to Tales, who finds Vuhumara alone inside the area. The Pazhujebi shoots, but Zecão blocks him well. Good start for the Island team.
[18:51] <Cafundeu> 6th minute: GOAL for A.F.F.! When Atlético Insular seemed to return better, the Abadia team shows its strength. Neto passes the ball to Silveira, who runs to the attack, invades the area and finds Kose alone. The ball goes to him, and he shots to score the goal without problems!
[18:56] <Cafundeu> 11th minute: A.F.F. holds the ball. Atlético desperately looks for a chance to score.
[18:58] <Cafundeu> 13th minute: Augusto César receives ball from Pasarap and runs to the attack. He shoots before entering in the area, and the ball goes wide.
[19:00] <Cafundeu> 15th minute: Edsanderson finds Hool in good position and passes the ball to him. He dribbles Eduardo Monte and shoots. Zecão sends the ball for a corner.
[19:01] <Cafundeu> 16th minute: Lionel crosses the ball and Hool heads it with accuracy. Zecão appears to hold the ball.
[19:05] <Cafundeu> 20th minute: Disallowed goal! Atlético caughts A.F.F. off-guard. Lionel reaches the entrance of the area and passes the ball to Sytrobes, who gets it inside the area alone. He has the time to dribble the keeper and shoot to the goal, before the lineswoman calls an offside. Furious, the Vephrall player complains with her loudly, receiving a yellow card.
[19:05] <Cafundeu> Atlético Insular makes another change: it's 21-Mário in the place of 5-Lionel
[19:06] * Bostopia hits fast-forward
[19:06] <Cafundeu> it's a live transmission, you're not God
[19:08] <Cafundeu> 23rd minute: Neto reaches the entrance of the area and is fouled by Severiano. Yellow card to him. Neto stays in the ground and asks for medical assistance.
[19:09] <Cafundeu> Necessary substitution in A.F.F. - 7-Petras in the place of 10-Neto
[19:10] <Cafundeu> 25th minute: the same Petras takes the free kick. It hits the wall, Augusto César takes the rebound and shoots from outside the area, missing the goal.
[19:13] <Cafundeu> 28th minute: foul in the middle of the field. The offender, Vuhumara, is shown the yellow card, the fifth for Atlético Insular, while only Silveira in A.F.F. was shown a card.
[19:15] <Cafundeu> 30th minute: Atlético Insular, after the disallowed goal, lacks motivation to attack. A.F.F. just waits for time to passes. Game starts to be played in slow pace.
[19:15] * ChanServ modo de ajuste: +v Bostopia
[19:16] <Cafundeu> a fan called Bostopia invades the field and leaves shortly after, fearing the security guards
[19:17] <Cafundeu> 32nd minute: Sytrobes attempts a long ranged shot, but misses the goal by a wide margin.
[19:18] * ChanServ modo de ajuste: +v Bazalonia
[19:18] <Cafundeu> Substitution in A.F.F.: legendary full-back Léo Mattos (#2) substitutes 15-Prescott. A.F.F to defend.
[19:18] <Bazalonia> heya
[19:19] <Cafundeu> hi Baz
[19:19] * Bazalonia stabs his BoF host opponent
[19:19] <Bazalonia> yo
[19:19] * Bazalonia wins by default
[19:19] * Cafundeu rises from his coffin
[19:20] <Cafundeu> 36th minute: confusion! Severiano and Fausto argue. The referee appears and shows the yellow card to both. But, for Severiano, it's a red!
[19:21] <Cafundeu> Last substitution for Atlético Insular: 4-Vega leaves for the entrance of 17-Amadeu
[19:24] <Cafundeu> 39th minute: Hool takes the ball from Pasarap and starts a counterattack. He shoots, but Silveira blocks it and counterattacks for A.F.F., passing the ball to Augusto César. He reaches the attack and crosses the ball to the area, where Heitor heads it. Amutarrad saves, Kose takes the rebound and Amutarrad jumps at his feet to take the ball. Kose wants a penalty, the referee ignores him.
[19:25] <Cafundeu> last substitution of the game: 14-Malan enters in 20-Fausto's place in A.F.F.
[19:27] <Cafundeu> 42nd minute: Atlético Insular has a corner. Even the goalkeeper goes to the area. Sytrobes takes it, the ball goes to the area and Amutarrad heads. Zecão saves easily. He throws the ball to Augusto César who shoots from behind the midfield to try to score, as the goalkeeper is still in the attack. In the middle of the road, Tuff heads the ball for a throw-in.
[19:28] <Cafundeu> 43rd minute: referee gives 3 minutes of injury time.
[19:30] <Cafundeu> 45th minute: GOAL for A.F.F.! The home team takes advantage of the suicidal attacks of Atlético Insular to reply. Silveira sends the ball to Petras, who, after dribbling Edsanderson, passes the ball to Kose. The prince invades the area, dribbles Tuff and shoots with strength to decide the game!
[19:32] <Cafundeu> 47th minute: Atlético Insular seems to give up. A.F.F. is winning an amazing lead for the second game.
[19:33] <Cafundeu> 48th minute: last attack. Sytrobes, in the attack, fights fiercely for the ball against Pasarap. After getting the ball from his country mate, the referee calls a free kick for A.F.F. Sytrobes doesn't complain to avoid receiving the red card.
[19:34] <Cafundeu> End of the game. With one goal by 11-Heitor and two by 9-Kose, A.F.F. deservedly wins the game, putting practically both hands in the Emperor's Cup. Atlético Insular has few hopes for the second game.

Goals:AFF: Heitor 22' , Kose 51'/90'.

THE FINAL
ATLÉTICO INSULAR 0x0 A.F.F.

Place: Cúpula Tropical, in Ilha Eremita.
Attendance: 55,091 people.
Referee: Alceu Braga Mendes (Lasft State).
Assistants: Natália Gomes and Mário Bassan (Lasft State).
Time of the game: 21:30h (local time).
MOTM: Silveira (A.F.F.)

ATLÉTICO INSULAR: Amutarrad; Moraes, Tuff and Vega; Edsanderson (Francinélio 80'), Lionel (Mário 63') and Sytrobes; Vuhumara (Sinclair 45'), Tales and Hool.
Coach: Ensio Varg.

A.F.F.: Zecão; Léo Mattos (Malan 60'), Augusto César, Whitecroft and Eduardo Monte; Pasarap, Silveira, Prescott (Beattis 75') and Neto (Petras 75'); Heitor and Kose.
Coach: Benjamin Oliveira.

A.F.F. WINS THE EMPEROR'S CUP!

Reactions: READY FOR MORE? The quality of the football shown by A.F.F. during the Emperor's Cup was seen as a sign that the team can do the same in the national league. The new players Prescott and Kose added some depth to the team, which seems now very strong. So, the question appears: can the team win the title again, after many seasons? If not, the team at least is expected to end in a respectable position in the final standings, possible a top 4 one, as the most famous teams disappointed during the Emperor's Cup.

International Association Football University Challenge Championship

The first-ever International University Challenge Championship (IUCC) was held over the week in Hatton, Grand Island, Ad’ihan, at the Hatton College of Medicine. The tournament, which features the world's top footballing universities, is a single round-robin tournament, with each team playing two matches.

The organisers, the Football Federation of Ad’ihan (AFF), have said that they intend to hold the tournament every other season.

For the inaugural competition, the University of Riestre from Vephrall and Dancougar's University of Gilderome joined Ad’ihani champions Hatton College of Medicine to contest for the title of international university football champions.

Results
U of Gilderome DAN 1-2 U of Riestre VPH
U of Riestre VPH 1-1 Hatton Med College ADN
Hatton Med College ADN 1-2 U of Gilderome DAN

Table
Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 U of Riestre VPH 2 1 1 0 3 2 1 4
2 U of Gilderome DAN 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3
3 Hatton Med College ADN 2 0 1 1 2 3 -1 1

And so, with that, the University of Riestre are crowned the inaugural international football champions at university level.

Recently, as per an effort to raise interest in the Cafundelense league, four clubs from Cafundéu - Cafundó do Juta, Petardos S/A, Dunboor FC, and Ranca Toco went on tours of Yafor 2, to play Yaforite clubs in Yafor 2, as well as earn some money off of the gate receipts.

Day 1:
IYC Kaharan 1 (Valanar, 13') - Dunboor FC 1 (Luiso, 22')
Kiera FC 0 - Ranca Toco 2 (Loverado 12', Gepardo 84')
IYC Hadaris 1 (Kaliokis 72') - Cafundó do Juta 3 (Flecha 9', 34', R. Vélez 18')
IYC Uharan 2 (Torino 17', 64') - Petardos S/A 2 (Newton 31', Hawk 45+1')

Day 2:
Ramen United 1 (Amhartu 18') - Dunboor FC 2 (Luiso 11', 44')
Cardarel FC 2 (Insfield 3', Meleherat 25') - Ranca Toco 3 (Gepardo 23', 25', Aatunen 42')
Chelmar FC 3 (Sharma 3', 15', 24') - Cafundó do Juta 3 (Flecha 11', 22', 74')
IYC Kaharan 1 (Valanar 72') - Petardos S/A 3 (Newton 12', Hawk 17', Fresco 71')

Day 3:
Uharan FC 0 - Dunboor FC 3 (Razov 8', 75', Luiso 71')
IYC Darigeris 1 (Zerch 16') - Ranco Toco 2 (Serginho 2', 81')
IYC Ajer 2 (d'Angiél 12', Valdaan 32') - Cafundó do Juta 2 (Flecha 18', Hocn 52')
Chelmar FC 2 (Sharma 8', 90+2') - Petardos S/A 1 (Hawk 1')

Day 4:
IYC Uharan 3 (Torino 9', 12', Kiranar 19') - Dunboor FC 2 (Razov 2', Jorginho 18')
Chelmar FC 4 (Sharma 13', 24', 81', Eleifo 90+2') - Ranca Toco 1 (Ghur 21')
IYC Kaharan 2 (Valanar 43', Éverton 51') - Cafundó do Juta 2 (Flecha 12', Eager 81')
IYC Ajer 3 (d'Angiél 11', 15', 77') - Petardos S/A 4 (Rubiano 3', Newton 15', 54', Hawk 90+3')

And it is good, as the climax is a thunderous 4-3 win by Petardos S/A, as Laborious Hawk scores in injury time to clinch it for the former TQCC champions!

Records:
Dunboor FC: 2-1-1
Ranca Toco: 3-0-1
Cafundó do Juta: 1-3-0
Petardos S/A: 2-1-1

NEWMANISTAN PREMIER LEAGUE

It's the second season of the Newmanistan Premier League. Can Dover City successfully repeat as champions, or will Pocono City avenge being defeated on the last matchday? Will Loudon re-find their old, traditional form? How about rising clubs like Southport or Putnam Lake? Will the Empire's most recognizable name from the national team, Jeremy McAllister, finally bring home the championship to his Putnam Lake side? Centralia's improved, and so has Stroudsbourg. Recently promoted West Penthoria has spent a lot to try and assure themselves of remaining in the Premier League. Then there's a bunch of other teams too, who aren't about to let the favorites have an easy time. There are 46 games in the NPL. The 24 sides play each other once at home and once on the road.


This is the consensus predicted order by a panel of Newmanistanian football experts. (Results either tonight or tomorrow).

1) Pocono City- Ok folks, you think Brian Carson has a chip on his shoulder? And I'm not talking about the national team here, the Captials lost the NPL title last season in a very heartbreaking fashion, and they are determined to get back to where they feel they belong. His big signing last year was Brett Carlson, and you can expect this young forward to get plenty of time before he figures to play for the Rockets in Di Bradini Cup 6. Kevin Lewis is still in his prime, and they should get one more good year out of Kevin Dalton. Then, knowing the Capitals, they'll go out and spend huge money on keeper to replace him. A solid back end led by Michael Harrison and Chris Lombardi can't be overlooked either. Pocono City is most vulnerable in the midfield, but they should get by.

2) Southport- We found out last year that Sakura Jo was the real deal, as the Fujisawan Territories icon adapted well to her first full year in Newmanistan. With that behind her now, with more comfort, she will only get better. Defenders Mitch Conrad, Brent Treichler, and young 15-year old Todd Benjamin, a DBC 6 candidate play well in front of her. And Julie McElroy will continue to score goals with frequency. That's enough when Jo's your keeper.

3) Putnam Lake- Jeremy McAllister's side might not be ready for a championship quite yet, but they will be right in the mix. The icon of Newmanistanian football has captured the interest of nations from around the world as transfer offers keep coming in. But over the last few years, the Eagles have begun to build around McAllister, and young striker Calvin Lane, a DBC 6 candidate, has the ability to reach his full potential playing here. The Eagles also get great goalkeeping from Chris Kusler, and that cannot be overlooked. Ken Cerutti has gradually become a solid midfielder, too.

4) Centralia- Ah yes, team "we want to win 1-0 every game". After yet another dominating defensive season, the Cougars went out and made a big overseas purchase. Yep, on yet another defender, landing a young Casey Berber from Dancougar. The Cougars see a ton of potential in Berber, and feel that they have the perfect system for him to absolutely flourish. And they're probably right. Mark McCafferty will be an outstanding mentor. The signing of Berber allowed them to trade defender Ed Peterson to Stroudsbourg for cash. Is there another big signing in the works? Maybe, a forward?

5) Dover City- The defending champions fifth? Well, most people think they overachieved last season. The Mountaineers are a pretty well-balanced team, and Keith O'Brien gives them decent keeping. Cafundeu's Carlao has become the leader of the back end and seems to be enjoying this new chapter to his career. A solid foward trio of Brian Wright, Alex Warrick, and Fujisawan's Taree Taira will all return in the efforts to repeat. Midfielder John Owens looked good playing for a second division club last season, and is the main addition to Dover City this year. Not helping was several players seeing dollar signs and going to other clubs.

6) Springfield- The Thoroughbreds are led by Shawn Drummond, who is arguably the second best striker in the Empire behind McAllister, although there are some rumors that Springfield may have him on the transfer market. If such a thing happens, then lower the Thoroughbreds considerably. They have some other weapons, including Corey Hennis, the starting keeper on the national team, along with Nate Stratton, and midfielder Steve Boland, who also play at the national level. They have a young prospect named James Seidler, a midfielder, whom they are high on as well.

7) Stroudsbourg- Is tiny little Stroudsbourg really ready for the big time? It's hard to believe, but this club looks like they may actually beat out teams in the big cities. Nus Kusaglu, from Kose and The Turkomans, was the leading scorer for the Panthers, and he will return. But he will have some help, with the huge signing of Christopher Moreton from the Blouman Empire, and the acquisition of Ed Peterson from Centralia. Additionally, their first round pick two years ago, Dirk Brogan, a DBC 6 candidate, is looking like another legitimate scoring threat. If only the Panthers could land a real strong keeper.

8) Loudon- This could be the low spot for the Leopards. Loudon needs to get back to the top and needs to be challenging for championships, but right now it just does not look like it is going to happen. This is not a bad club, and they have a solid back end with Eddie Chapman and young Sheldon Talcott. Kevin Carrigan and John Murphy are the team's top scoring threats, and while they'll get the job done, the Leopards need a better supporting cast, and a much better keeper to even think about a title.

9) South Tier- This is where we start to see a bit of a gap brewing. The Seagulls are solid team, but don't seem to be the type that can get up there with the best and compete for the title. Tom Cuyler and Brian Rafferty are both great midfielders, and Cuyler in particular is really getting pretty good, but they can't do it all themselves. Scott Conrad, a solid keeper, will keep them ahead of other mid-pack teams.

10) Olympia- The Gladiators have fallen into the rut of being a perennial mid-pack team, and this year will be no exception. The player to watch is likely 15-year old Kyle Carrigan, the younger brother of Loudon's Kevin. Kyle is likely a given for the Di Bradini 6 team, but he can't carry this entire team on his back yet. They've improved in the back end with the transfer of Andrew Pollard from the Blouman Empire, and the purchase of Dover City's Eric Lovell. Maybe, they could be a spoiler.

11) Fairfield City- With Jennifer Vilardi coming along as a fantastic talent, the Admirals should have enough to build on a decent mid-table position last year and assert themselves as a team that can win any night. Midfielder Chris Coleman will be able to get her the ball in prime chances and is a nice up and coming talent himself, as is defender Michelle Norton.

12) Hastings- Jennifer's twin sister Shannon shouldn't be too far behind her in the standings are her Crusaders seem to be a fairly similarly constructed team. They'll look for Shannon Vilardi to be the team leader in goals. Eric Feldman is a young defender with promise, and midfielder John Owens should get Shannon the ball alright.

13) Tundra Falls- How, in the world, could the mighty Tundra Falls Mariners fall so low? How can the Proving Grounds not have a contender on their sacred pitch? Well, when they transfered Matt Caufield away to the Blouman Empire, it was just the start. Don't be surprised if Tony Borsinger and keeper Kurt Allwine are wearing new uniforms by the end of the season, either.

14) North Charlotte- North should win the battle over South this season. The Wildcats made a couple decent acquisitions that should keep them in a solid midfield position. Justin Lyons, Kevin Kohagen, and Eddie Martin make up a solid midfield that should give them just enough.

15) West Penthoria- The Division Two champions were promoted and now are ready to make sure they do not go back down. They opened up the checkbook, and signed a top keeper from Arroza, and then gave him support in landing defenders Eric Blunden from Centralia and Kevin Stover from Dover City. They still need some people that can put the ball in the net, but this is a promising start.

16) Concord City- The biggest move by Concord City was to land Alex Freeman, formerly of South Tier. Chris Phillips, a defender, was also signed from North Charlotte after the Wildcats released him due to behavorial issues.

17) South Charlotte- The Condors still continue to seem hopeless, but should be able to do just enough to fend off relegation without really needing to worry about it. Shane Classen is a tremendous midfielder, and the start of the team, with Kyle Billings, a 15 year old prospect perhaps someone else that they can look to.

18) Daytopia- There's not a lot to be excited about here. But like South Charlotte, they're probably just good enough to stay safe in the premier league. A couple of young defenders, who are both DBC6 candidates, Scott LaFave and Brett Taratino, who are each 15 represent a bright future, but they aren't there yet. They recently announced that they will be fully committed to developing young players.

19) Hampton- Hampton remained in the premier league by four points, but they should be able to do a little better thanks to first round pick Kevin Taylor, and their first round pick of last year Chris Farrell leading the way. Both strikers will be able to score against the weaker defenses of bottom teams.

20) Portsmouth- The Whalers just don't seem to have it, and even though they overachieved a little last year, we see this as a tough season for them, and perhaps they will be in a fight to remain in the premier league.

21) Lincoln- The Colonials were promoted and are looking to make an impact. We like a few of their players, especially midfielder Todd Gillespie, and think they will play with just enough heart and character to finish here, which is the final spot to stay safe.

22) Riverside- The fact that they weren't demoted last year just prolonged the inevitable this year. There is not much to speak of here in any way.

23) Seminole Bay- A team that's been on the decline for a while now, and we think that there time has finally come. A year for ownership to recommitt themselves to winning may be what they need in the organization, because as a city, Seminole Bay does not belong in a secondary league.

24) Rockland- The third of the three teams that were promoted, it's going to be hard for the Jets to stay up as they really haven't done anything over the offseason.

Cegeeng joins Vephrallers in Cafundéu

Yet another Stestrenas player has chosen to leave the nation in search of the big bucks in Cafundéu. Vephrall national team left-back Ferrys Cegeeng is bound for SC Lasft in a deal estimated at over Ł58 million.

The full list of Vephrallers that currently play or have previously played in Cafundéu (those no longer playing in italics):

Going Sytrobes (Atlético Insular)
Wendelors Clituleng (Dunboor FC)
Jehoepe Shrifflu (Atlético Jutense)
Jehoepe Pasarap (A.F.F.)
Soscren Pranasik (Clube Imperial)
Dotos Ponten (Clube Imperial)
Ferrys Cegeeng (SC Lasft)

Cafundéu holds the distinction of having been the home of the most Vephrallers playing abroad, and is currently tied with Valanora as the nation with the most currently playing there (six each). The Kura-Pelland and Candelaria And Marquez leagues each have one Vephrese player, Siestanin Mantlom (Curzek Rovers) and Avilass Gackbang (Arrigo Portuguese), respectively; no Vephrese players play in any other foreign leagues.

CSA promises scheduling changes for 1758 season

The Collegiate Sporting Alliance has promised that new scheduling procedures will be in place for Vephrall's college football teams starting this season. They have declined to give any specifics yet, but have said that each team will most likely play about twelve games per season (they currently play seven to nine, depending on conference) and that nonconference regular season play will be introduced in the near future, though not necessarily this season.

POCONO CITY WON’T BE DENIED

National Team Coach Brian Carson may not have had the best qualifying campaign for World Cup 41, but his Capitals made up for it by taking home the Newmanistan Premier League Championship this season. You may recall last year, where Carson’s Capitals were beaten on the last matchday by Dover City for the crowd. This year, Putnam Lake and Centralia loomed as the biggest threats, with the Eagles of Putnam Lake at one point opening up a 10-point advantage early in the season, before the Capitals took over. After celebrating the championship, 38-year old goalkeeper Kevin Dalton announced his retirement. Dalton spend 16 seasons in Pocono City, winning four NSL championships, as the league was known then. He also played for the national team in World Cup 40 and the Baptism of Fire.

Jeremy McAllister continues to get Putnam Lake closer, but still the Eagles await their first ever championship. J-Mac’s 40 goals led the NPL this season, and the young Calvin Lane got off to a great start before eventually fading later on. Chris Kusler was a pleasant surprise, as well. We knew the goalkeeper would be good, but he established himself as one of the top keepers in the Empire. Centralia showed their usual dominance, their back end allowed just 29 goals over the entire season!

Surprise Teams: Olympia (somewhat better then expected), Loudon (year wasn’t as bad as some thought), and Seminole Bay (they were supposed to be a lock for relegation)

Disappointing Teams: Southport (was supposed to contend for title, not finish 20 points out). Tundra Falls (at one point, they were 18th, decent finish got them to 13th, but still way below their standards).

League MVP: Jeremy McAllister (Putnam Lake)
Keeper of Year: Kevin Dalton (Pocono City)
Top Midfielder: Kevin Carrigan (Loudon)
Top Defender: Mark McCafferty (Centralia)
Overseas Player of Year: Sakura Jo (Southport)
Rookie of the Year: Brett Carlson (Pocono City)


Pocono City 46 31 7 8 100 95 44 51
Putnam Lake 46 29 7 10 94 92 42 50
Centralia 46 29 7 10 94 61 29 32
Dover City 46 26 10 10 88 89 59 30
Loudon 46 25 8 13 83 79 57 22
Springfield 46 24 9 13 81 77 51 26
Olympia 46 23 12 11 81 68 43 25
Southport 46 24 8 14 80 69 41 28
Stroudsbourg 46 22 11 13 77 73 46 27
South Tier 46 22 10 14 76 68 47 21
Fairfield City 46 20 9 17 69 70 61 9
North Charlotte 46 17 12 17 63 65 65 0
Tundra Falls 46 18 9 19 63 54 56 -2
Hastings 46 16 14 16 62 66 64 2
Hampton 46 17 10 19 61 65 67 -2
Daytopia 46 16 11 19 59 59 65 -6
Seminole Bay 46 13 12 21 51 52 69 -17
West Penthoria 46 12 14 20 50 38 60 -22
South Charlotte 46 12 11 23 47 50 77 -27
Concord City 46 12 8 26 44 51 80 -29
Lincoln 46 8 10 28 34 39 70 -31
Riverside 46 6 11 29 29 37 84 -47 R
Portsmouth 46 5 12 29 27 35 103 -68 R
Rockland 46 6 6 34 24 31 103 -72 R


B LEAGUE
– Harrison Senators won the B League championship in rather dominating fashion, starting well and stay on top for most of the season. For a while, Thumbria Bay was their biggest challenger, but they went on a huge losing streak in the second half of the season. The Pittstown Miners, despite only ending up just four points back, were never really a threat to Harrison. Pittstown and Harrison though will make their first trip now to the Premier League, where they’ll be joined by Brighton, a team that was relegated from the NPL, and will now return. Andover and Yorkville will go down.


Harrison 46 28 7 11 91 81 46 35 P
Pittstown 46 26 9 11 87 71 43 28 P
Brighton 46 23 9 14 78 76 58 18 P
West Loudon 46 22 11 13 77 68 47 21
Thumbria Bay 46 22 9 15 75 65 48 17
Bradford Town 46 21 12 13 75 72 59 13
Pocono Village 46 20 10 16 70 62 56 6
Dover Town 46 19 12 15 69 69 58 11
Pocono Lake 46 19 10 17 67 67 56 11
Scrantena 46 18 12 16 66 63 59 4
Ashland 46 19 9 18 66 64 63 1
Rushville 46 17 13 16 64 63 55 8
Liberty Town 46 17 13 16 64 66 63 3
Strausser 46 18 10 18 64 63 67 -4
Independence 46 17 12 17 63 63 66 -3
Silver Lake 46 17 11 18 62 66 66 0
Steel City 46 17 11 18 62 56 62 -6
Buffalonia 46 14 11 21 53 52 70 -18
North Concord 46 14 10 22 52 54 76 -22
Montgomery 46 12 14 20 50 47 61 -14
Fairfield Town 46 13 9 24 48 55 74 -19
Manchester 46 11 13 22 46 54 75 -21
Andover 46 11 12 23 45 49 74 -25 R
Yorkville 46 8 9 29 33 37 81 -44 R




C LEAGUE

– North Falls, in fourth place at the midway point, used a very strong second half to win the league title and move up a notch. Dawson City join them. Falling to the bottom was a horrible Nassau club as well as Allenstone.

North Falls 30 20 4 6 64 57 29 28 P
Dawson City 30 18 8 4 62 54 26 28 P
Dayton Town 30 18 5 7 59 59 35 24
Johnsonville 30 17 6 7 57 62 37 25
Cloverfield 30 14 6 10 48 41 36 5
Monticello 30 13 7 10 46 43 34 9
Wrentham 30 11 8 11 41 37 34 3
Bristol 30 11 8 11 41 44 42 2
Cranston 30 12 5 13 41 39 42 -3
Putnam Beach 30 11 6 13 39 47 48 -1
Knightsville 30 11 6 13 39 43 45 -2
Newport 30 9 8 13 35 36 43 -7
Nazareth 30 9 8 13 35 33 46 -13
East Adams 30 7 6 17 27 32 52 -20
Allanstone 30 4 7 19 19 27 57 -30 R
Nassau 30 5 2 23 17 21 69 -48 R


D LEAGUE

– Not everyone was thrilled with the D League’s winner, Centralia Town, as the Premier League Centralia club gave the team a heavy amount of funding, and it seemed to put Centralia Town at an unfair advantage. They will move up a notch now, along with Nashua.

Centralia Town 22 17 3 2 54 51 18 33 P
Nashua 22 15 3 4 48 42 17 25 P
Sutterfield 22 14 4 4 46 47 25 22
Clear Falls 22 14 4 4 46 41 20 21
Naples 22 11 4 7 37 37 26 11
Evason 22 7 5 10 26 27 35 -8
Eastport 22 6 6 10 24 24 31 -7
Chesterville 22 6 4 12 22 20 40 -20
High Point 22 5 5 12 20 28 39 -11
Rutland 22 4 5 13 17 21 44 -23
Stockton 22 4 3 15 15 26 47 -21
Verona 22 3 6 13 15 23 45 -22


The Empress’ Cup

1st Round (Top 20 Premier League Clubs receive bye)

Lincoln 3-0 Verona
Riverside 2-1 Stockton
Portsmouth 2-1 Rutland (1-1 FT, 1-1 AET, 4-3 PK)
Rockland 3-0 High Point
Harrison 6-1 Chesterville
Pittstown 2-0 Eastport
Brighton 2-0 Evason
West Loudon 3-2 Naples (2-2 FT, 3-2 AET)
Thumbria Bay 0-2 Clear Falls
Bradford Town 1-0 Sutterfield (0-0 FT, 0-0 AET, 3-2 PK)
Pocono Village 3-0 Nashua
Dover Town 1-3 Centralia Town
Pocono Lake 3-0 Nassau
Scratena 2-1 Allenstone
Ashland 4-0 East Adams
Rushville 1-3 Nazareth
Liberty Township 5-1 Newport
Strausser 3-1 Knightsville
Independence 0-1 Putnam Beach
Silver Lake 1-0 Cranston
Steel City 1-3 Bristol
Buffalonia 2-1 Wrentham (1-1 FT, 2-1 AET)
North Concord 0-1 Monticello (0-0 FT, 0-1 AET)
Montgomery 4-2 Cloverfield
Fairfield Town 3-2 Johnsonville (1-1 FT, 2-2 AET, 4-3 PK)
Manchester 0-3 Dayton Town
Andover 2-1 Dawson City
Yorkville 0-4 North Falls

2nd Round
Pocono City 3-1 North Falls
Putnam Lake 2-0 Andover
Centralia 1-0 Dayton Town
Dover City 3-0 Fairfield Town
Loudon 5-2 Montgomery
Springfield 3-2 Monticello (2-2 FT, 3-2 AET)
Olympia 2-1 Buffalonia
Southport 4-0 Bristol
Stroudsbourg 3-1 Silver Lake
South Tier 1-2 Putnam Beach (1-1 FT, 1-1 AET, 2-3 PK)
Fairfield City 0-3 Strausser
North Charlotte 2-1 Liberty Township
Tundra Falls 3-1 Nazareth
Hastings 0-2 Ashland
Hampton 2-1 Scratena
Daytopia 1-2 Pocono Lake
Seminole Bay 1-4 Centralia Town
West Penthoria 2-1 Pocono Village (1-1 FT, 2-1 AET)
South Charlotte 3-1 Bradford Town
Concord City 4-3 Clear Falls (2-2 FT, 3-3 AET, 3-2 PK)
Lincoln 0-1 West Loudon
Riverside 2-3 Brighton (2-2 FT, 2-3 AET)
Portsmouth 3-2 Pittstown
Rockland 1-3 Harrison

3rd Round
Pocono City 2-1 Harrison
Putnam Lake 4-0 Portsmouth
Centralia 2-0 Brighton
Dover City 2-1 West Loudon (1-1 FT, 1-1 AET, 3-1 PK)
Loudon 2-3 Concord City (2-2 FT, 2-2 AET, 2-3 PK)
Springfield 1-2 South Charlotte
Olympia 2-0 West Penthoria
Southport 1-0 Centralia Town
Stroudsbourg 1-2 Pocono Lake
Putnam Beach 0-3 Hampton
Strausser 0-1 Ashland
North Charlotte 2-1 Tundra Falls (1-1 FT, 2-1 AET)

4th Round
Pocono City 3-0 North Charlotte
Putnam Lake 2-1 Ashland (1-1 FT, 2-1 AET)
Centralia 2-1 Hampton (1-1 FT, 1-1 AET, 3-2 PK)
Dover City 4-0 Pocono Lake
Concord City 2-1 Centralia Town
South Charlotte 1-3 Olympia
Centralia 2-0 Olympia
Dover City 2-1 Concord City

Semis
Pocono City 4-2 Dover City
Putnam Lake 1-2 Centralia

3rd Place
Putnam Lake 0-2 Dover City

Championship
Pocono City 1-0 Centralia

TQCC teams (in order of preference): Pocono City, Centralia, Putnam Lake, Dover City
Globe Cup (in order of preference): Dover City (if not TQCC eligible) then Loudon, Harrison, and Springfield.


And on another note, The Empress would like to congratulate Chris Peterson of Clube Imperiale in Cafundeu on his teams Championship, and Brett Prescott of A.F.F. for his teams winning Cafundeu's Emperor's Cup

Congratulations to Chris Mahaffey for being the first Arrozan player ever to play on a national championship winning side.

CAFUNDÉU LEAGUE RESULTS – (Before WC 41)

THE SAME OF EVER REVIEW OF CAFUNDÉU’S LEAGUE SYSTEM – Cafundéu’s league is composed of 5 divisions of 20 teams. All the divisions have the same style:

-1st phase: All the clubs play each other 2 times(home and away). It’s called “primeiro turno”. The winner of this phase it’s the first placed at the end of the league.

Tiebreakers: points, number of wins, goal difference, goals scored, yellow cards.

-2nd phase: The 8 best placed teams in the 1st phase play in a knockout stage. The 1st plays the 8th (Game A), the 2nd plays the 7th(Game B), the 3rd plays the 6th(Game C) and the 4th plays the 5th (Game D). They play two games(home and away). The winner continues. In case of draw, the team with better performance in the 1st phase wins. Then, the winner of the game A plays against the winner of game D, and the winner of game B plays the winner of game C(semifinals) with the same rules. Then, the winners play the final using the same rules.

-3rd phase: The winners of the 1st and 2nd phase play each other in one game in neutral ground. In case of draw, there’s extra time and penalties. The winner is the Cafundéu champion.

Promotion and Relegation: In all the leagues 4 teams get relegated. They are the 4 worst teams of the 1st phase. The promoted teams are the 3 best teams of the 1st phase and the best team of the 2nd phase(note that the champion of the 2nd phase can be already promoted in the 1st phase, so the best placed team that still wasn’t promoted will be promoted (the one which reached the final or the semifinal of the 2nd phase).

Orange: Division champions
Blue = promoted
Red = relegated
Green = 2nd phase champions(if lost the Grand Final)
Purple = 1st phase champions(if lost the Grand Final)
Phase Champions are promoted too.

Special cases:

Silver: TQCC teams
Brown: Globe Cup
Gold: SBCC teams

The phase champions in the 1st and 2nd Divisions are also qualified for the TQCC and SBCC, respectively.

1st Division Past winners (since the entrance of Cafundéu in the NS World Cup -before that, there were many champions in competitions with different formats):

Season 1 - Atlético Jutense
Season 2 - Cafundó do Juta
Season 3 - Petardos S/A
Season 4 - Petardos S/A
Season 5 - Dunboor FC
Season 6 - A.F.F.
Season 7 – Petardos S/A
Season 8 – Cafundó do Juta

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CAFUNDÉU’S FIRST DIVISION – very disputed, the top teams did a good job, with fewer exceptions. Atlético Insular and A.F.F. continued surprising after the good run in the Emperor’s Cup:

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Clube Imperial 38 22 6 10 101 60 41 72 TQCC
2 Cafundó do Juta 38 19 12 7 78 51 27 69 TQCC
3 Petardos S/A 38 19 7 12 81 66 15 64 TQCC
4 A.F.F. 38 18 9 11 75 67 8 63 TQCC
5 Dunboor FC 38 18 8 12 70 59 11 62 GLOBE
6 Ranca Toco 38 16 12 10 64 52 12 60
7 Atlético Insular 38 15 10 13 63 59 4 55 GLOBE
8 Khalmar-Tijhus 38 15 9 14 60 61 -1 54
9 Atlético Jutense 38 15 8 15 54 54 0 53
10 Clube Comercial 38 14 11 13 53 58 -5 53
11 América 38 13 11 14 55 67 -12 50
12 Galáxia 38 12 12 14 59 70 -11 48
13 SC Lasft 38 11 15 12 35 37 -2 48
14 Central United 38 12 11 15 54 60 -6 47
15 Metropolitano 38 12 10 16 42 51 -9 46
16 CR Submiria 38 11 13 14 53 66 -13 46
17 Penders 38 10 11 17 62 73 -11 41
18 Sambarilove 38 9 11 18 43 55 -12 38
19 EC Elville 38 7 12 19 29 44 -15 33
20 Agreman FH 38 6 14 18 26 47 -21 32

Globe Cup playoff (6th placed x Cup runner-ups):
Ranca Toco 1-3 Atlético Insular

For the 2nd phase, the 8 teams battled for the segundo turno (derbies in underlined purple):

Quarter-Finals – 1st Leg:
Khalmar-Tijhus 1-3 Clube Imperial
Atlético Insular 2-2 Cafundó do Juta
Ranca Toco 2-0 Petardos S/A
Dunboor FC 1-2 A.F.F.

2nd Leg:
Clube Imperial 4-2 Khalmar-Tijhus
Cafundó do Juta 1-0 Atlético Insular
Petardos S/A 3-1 Ranca Toco (Petardos wins due to better campaign on 1st phase)
A.F.F. 0-3 Dunboor FC

Semifinals – 1st Leg:
Dunboor FC 0-0 Clube Imperial
Petardos S/A 3-2 Cafundó do Juta

2nd Leg:
Clube Imperial 2-0 Dunboor FC
Cafundó do Juta 4-1 Petardos S/A

Final 1st Leg:
Cafundó do Juta 2-1 Clube Imperial


FINAL 2ND LEG:

CLUBE IMPERIAL 2x1 CAFUNDÓ DO JUTA
(Clube Imperial wins due to better campaign on 1st phase)

Place: Estádio Rei Albieri Van Tocco, in Cafundó do Juta.
Attendance: 177,803 people.
Referee: Márcio Plenário (Lasft State).
Assistants: Édipo Bloch and Keyla Morini (Dunboor State).
MOTM: Alex (Clube Imperial).

CLUBE IMPERIAL: Juile; Alex, Williams and Tushambanda; Da Silva, Underdark, Ponten, Pranasik (Peterson 45’) and Caras (Valtinho 71’); Aristóteles and D’Abbo (Saulo 64’).
Coach: Júlio Vargas.

CAFUNDÓ DO JUTA: Rodríguez; Bahsir, Aligon, Eager (Bonfá 80’) and Kaneda; C.Vergara (Cícero 63’) and Hocn; Ulcviecel, Fabrício (R.Vélez 45’), Flecha and I.Vélez.
Coach: Eduardo Bosschaart.

Goals:CIM: Aristóteles 22’/78’.
CJU: Ulcviecel 43’.

Yellow Cards: Tushambanda, Underdark and Caras (CIM); Aligon, Eager, Hocn and Raúl Vélez (CJU).

CLUBE IMPERIAL WINS THE LEAGUE!

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Other details of the first division:

Best Player:
1st – Alex (Clube Imperial)
2nd – Laborious Hawk (Petardos S/A)
3rd – Flecha (Cafundó do Juta)
4th – Augusto César (A.F.F.)
5th – Julian D’Abbo (Clube Imperial)

Top Goalscorer:
1st – Laborious Hawk (Petardos S/A) – 30 goals
2nd – Sinan Kose (A.F.F.) – 26 goals
3rd – Aristóteles (Clube Imperial) – 23 goals
4th – Julian D’Abbo (Clube Imperial) – 21 goals
5th – Flecha (Cafundó do Juta) – 20 goals

*in case of draw, the player with less games played stays in front of the others

Best Goalkeeper:
1st – Imon Juile (Clube Imperial)
2nd – Eetu Riihijarvi (Dunboor FC)
3rd – Moisés (Ranca Toco)
4th – Fernando Rodríguez (Cafundó do Juta)
5th – Yuji Watanabe (Clube Comercial)

Best Defender (full-backs and center-backs):
1st – Alex (Clube Imperial)
2nd – Augusto César (A.F.F.)
3rd – Nilan Bahsir (Cafundó do Juta)
4th – Mertus Gaëif (Petardos S/A)
5th – Thomas Whitecroft (A.F.F.)

Best Midfielder (defensive and offensive):
1st – Laborious Hawk (Petardos S/A)
2nd – Alfonso Di Angelo (Petardos S/A)
3rd – Connor Mengucci (América)
4th – Zé Sho (Atlético Jutense)
5th – Silveira (A.F.F.)

Best Attacker:
1st – Flecha (Cafundó do Juta)
2nd – Julian D’Abbo (Clube Imperial)
3rd – Sinan Kose (A.F.F.)
4th – Aristóteles (Clube Imperial)
5th – Thomas Ulcviecel (Cafundó do Juta)

Best Coach:
1st – Júlio Vargas (Clube Imperial)
2nd – Benjamin Oliveira (A.F.F.)
3rd – Ensio Varg (Atlético Insular)
4th – Eduardo Bosschaart (Cafundó do Juta)
5th – Júlio Mercegues (Clube Comercial)

Team of the Season:

First Team:

------------------------------Juile(CIM)------------------------------
---Bahsir(CJU)--------Gaëif(PSA)-----Alex(CIM)---Augusto César(AFF)--
-----------------------------Zé Sho (AJU)----------------------------
----------Mengucci(AME)--------------------Di Angelo(PSA)-----------
------------------------------Hawk(PSA)-----------------------------
---------------------Flecha(CJU)-----D'Abbo(CIM)--------------------

Coach: Júlio Vargas (CIM).

Second team:

----------------------------Riihijarvi(DUB)----------------------------
--------------Alegro(RCT)-----Tuff(AIN)-----Whitecroft(AFF)----------
------------------Silveira(AFF)----------Barba(CCO)------------------
-----Da Silva(CIM)-----------------------------------Barnes(DUB)-----
----------------------------Ulcviecel(CJU)----------------------------
------------------Kose(AFF)--------------Aristóteles(CIM)------------

Coach: Benjamin Oliveira (AFF).

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2nd Division Past Winners:

Season 1 - CR Submiria
Season 2 - Clube Comercial
Season 3 - Clube Imperial
Season 4 - Galáxia
Season 5 - Petrol
Season 6 - Pernetas EC
Season 7 – CR Submiria
Season 8 – Central United

CAFUNDÉU'S SECOND DIVISION - the Second Division seemed weaker than average this season, with no famous teams disputing it. Vila Velha surprised the country finishing in the second place. The top 4 teams go to the SBCC:

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 São José 38 22 7 9 78 51 27 73 SBCC
2 Vila Velha 38 21 6 11 74 56 18 69 SBCC
3 Porto Lacruz 38 20 9 9 85 58 27 69 SBCC
4 Tabajara 38 20 8 10 40 27 13 68 SBCC
5 Faculdade de Medicina 38 17 8 13 61 49 12 59
6 Petrol 38 16 10 12 54 53 1 58
7 Clube dos Banqueiros 38 17 6 15 73 69 4 57
8 União Trabalhadora 38 15 11 12 51 53 -2 56
9 Tênis Clube 38 17 3 18 52 60 -8 54
10 Aliança 38 16 6 16 61 62 -1 54
11 Mondragon Warriors 38 15 9 14 45 48 -3 54
12 Pernetas EC 38 14 8 16 54 56 -2 50
13 Royal Pollvogarad 38 14 5 19 47 54 -7 47
14 São Jorge 38 12 11 15 39 45 -6 47
15 Coqueiros 38 14 3 21 50 59 -9 45
16 Serrano 38 11 11 16 41 61 -20 44
17 Globo Multimedia 38 11 10 17 60 62 -2 43
18 Imperatriz 38 12 6 20 43 54 -11 42
19 SC Carnavalesco 38 11 7 20 45 57 -12 40
20 Nacional da Cruz 38 10 6 22 50 69 -19 36

2nd Phase (derbies in red):

2nd phase – Quarterfinals first leg:
União Trabalhadora 1-3 São José
Clube dos Banqueiros 2-0 Vila Velha
Petrol 2-2 Porto Lacruz
Faculdade de Medicina 3-3 Tabajara

Second Leg:
São José 4-0 União Trabalhadora
Vila Velha 3-2 Clube dos Banqueiros
Porto Lacruz 1-1 Petrol (Porto Lacruz wins due to better performance on 1st phase)
Tabajara 1-3 Faculdade de Medicina

Semifinals First Leg:
Faculdade de Medicina 3-0 São José
Clube dos Banqueiros 1-2 Porto Lacruz

Second Leg:
São José 2-0 Faculdade de Medicina
Porto Lacruz 4-2 Clube dos Banqueiros

Final 1st Leg:
Faculdade de Medicina 1-1 Porto Lacruz

Final 2nd Leg:
Porto Lacruz 3-1 Faculdade de Medicina

THE DECISIVE FINAL:

SÃO JOSÉ 2x0 PORTO LACRUZ

Place: Olímpico Imperial, in Lux.
Attendance: 68,556 people.
Referee: Antônio Emílio Jardins (Coast State).
Assistants: João Felipe Vasconça and Nico Maior (Coast State).
MOTM: Ferreira (São José).

SÃO JOSÉ: Urbano, Pereira (Rochapedra 78’), Jorge Cruz, Samambaia and Prestes; Takahashi, Piau, Meira (Carbone 62’) and Diogo; Isini (Milanesi 45’) and Ferreira.
Coach: Edmílson Chester.

PORTO LACRUZ: Mauricinho; César Morel, Nasser and Fágner (Xico 70’); Kléber Andrade, Abate, Matoso, Edson and Tessano (Fonseca 70’); Caubói (Camarão 45’) and Praiano.
Coach: Vladmir Lopes.

Goals:SJO: Piau 55’ , Ferreira 59’.

Yellow Cards: Prestes (SJO); César Morel, Kléber Andrade (PLC).

SÃO JOSÉ WINS THE SECOND DIVISION!

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3rd Division Past Winners:

Season 1 - Tio João
Season 2 - Marinha
Season 3 - Galáxia
Season 4 - Royal Pollvogarad
Season 5 - SC Carnavalesco
Season 6 – Metropolitano
Season 7 – Porto Lacruz
Season 8 – Nacional da Cruz

THIRD DIVISION - the relegated teams from the 2nd Division battled against the promoted ones from the 4th, while the ones that were already in the 3rd just watched the competiion:

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Ferroviário 38 21 10 7 76 45 31 73
2 Forças Armadas 38 21 7 10 83 56 27 70
3 Carandirú 38 20 7 11 97 71 26 67
4 Varzeano 38 20 5 13 91 73 18 65
5 Pico da Neblina 38 19 7 12 56 45 11 64
6 C-Electronics 38 17 11 10 54 50 4 62
7 União 38 18 7 13 68 51 17 61
8 Rio Bonito 38 17 10 11 70 70 0 61
9 Engenheiro Peres 38 17 5 16 67 68 -1 56
10 Mocidade 38 13 12 13 59 65 -6 51
11 Aldeia Vigiah 38 15 5 18 73 88 -15 50
12 Supersônicos 38 12 14 12 64 61 3 50
13 Massaranduba FC 38 12 9 17 63 72 -9 45
14 Tio João 38 12 8 18 53 76 -23 44
15 Lusitânio 38 12 7 19 57 71 -14 43
16 Dínamo de Natal 38 12 6 20 51 65 -14 42
17 Espinalense 38 11 7 20 75 82 -7 40
18 Moto Clube 38 11 7 20 56 63 -7 40
19 Marinha 38 9 11 18 46 66 -20 38
20 Amigos do Pebolim 38 8 11 19 55 76 -21 35

2nd Phase (derbies in red):

Second Phase – Quarterfinals First Leg:
Rio Bonito 1-0 Ferroviário
União 3-2 Forças Armadas
C-Electronics 0-3 Carandirú
Pico da Neblina 2-1 Varzeano

Second Leg:
Ferroviário 2-2 Rio Bonito
Forças Armadas 1-0 União (F.Armadas wins due to better campaign on 1st phase)
Carandirú 3-1 C-Electronics
Varzeano 4-1 Pico da Neblina

Semifinals First Leg:
Rio Bonito 2-0 Varzeano
Carandirú 5-4 Forças Armadas

Second Leg:
Varzeano 1-1 Rio Bonito
Forças Armadas 3-3 Carandirú

Final 1st Leg:
Rio Bonito 1-2 Carandirú

2nd Leg:
Carandirú 3-0 Rio Bonito

Grand Final:

Ferroviário 1-1 Carandirú (1-2 AET)

CARANDIRÚ WINS THE THIRD DIVISION!

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4th Division Past Winners:

Season 1 - Interior (ceased)
Season 2 - Galáxia
Season 3 - Sambarilove
Season 4 - Vila Velha
Season 5 - Porto Lacruz
Season 6 - São Jorge
Season 7 – Serrano
Season 8 – Pico da Neblina

FOURTH DIVISION - competition full of unknown teams:

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Esportivo Jutense 38 20 7 11 65 47 18 67
2 Zeca Futebol 38 20 7 11 68 52 16 67
3 Boiadeiros 38 20 3 15 89 67 22 63
4 Cosmopolita 38 19 5 14 65 52 13 62
5 Democratas 38 17 8 13 64 57 7 59
6 U.D.E.U. 38 16 9 13 60 63 -3 57
7 Virgem Maria EC 38 16 8 14 75 60 15 56
8 Peladeiros 38 16 8 14 65 56 9 56
9 Cézares 38 16 8 14 82 74 8 56
10 Gelid United 38 15 9 14 35 33 2 54
11 Ribeirão 38 15 8 15 62 65 -3 53
12 Clube do Fusca 38 13 10 15 48 66 -18 49
13 Miragaia FC 38 13 9 16 61 76 -15 48
14 Nova Éden 38 14 5 19 52 65 -13 47
15 Legião de Srieth 38 13 7 18 56 64 -8 46
16 Fulminense 38 11 12 15 45 52 -7 45
17 Cristãos 38 11 12 15 44 56 -12 45
18 Civil FC 38 10 15 13 46 49 -3 45
19 Colonial 38 10 12 16 38 44 -6 42
20 Intensivo 38 12 4 22 62 84 -22 40

2nd Phase (derbies in red):

Second Phase – Quarterfinals First Leg:
Peladeiros 0-0 Esportivo Jutense
Virgem Maria EC 1-5 Zeca Futebol
U.D.E.U. 3-1 Boiadeiros
Democratas 2-3 Cosmopolita

Second Leg:
Esportivo Jutense 1-0 Peladeiros
Zeca Futebol 2-0 Virgem Maria EC
Boiadeiros 4-2 U.D.E.U. (Boiadeiros wins due to better performance on 1st phase)
Cosmopolita 0-1 Democratas (Cosmopolita wins due to better performance on 1st phase)

Semifinals First Leg:
Cosmopolita 3-0 Esportivo Jutense
Boiadeiros 5-3 Zeca Futebol

Second Leg:
Esportivo Jutense 2-2 Cosmopolita
Zeca Futebol 3-1 Boiadeiros (Zeca Futebol wins due to better performance on 1st phase)

Final 1st Leg:
Cosmopolita 2-1 Zeca Futebol

2nd Leg:
Zeca Futebol 0-1 Cosmopolita

Grand Final:

Esportivo Jutense 1-3 Cosmopolita

COSMOPOLITA WINS THE FOURTH DIVISION!

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5th Division Past Winners:

Season 1 - Democratas
Season 2 - Braguinha
Season 3 - Nova Éden
Season 4 - Porto Lacruz
Season 5 - Cosmopolita
Season 6 - Pico da Neblina
Season 7 – Mocidade
Season 8 – Nova Éden

FIFTH DIVISION - competition with even more unknown teams:

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Associação Imobiliária 38 22 7 9 75 50 25 73
2 Internacional Penderia 38 19 14 5 80 53 27 71
3 Santa Cruz do Norte 38 18 11 9 55 39 16 65
4 Velha Guarda 38 18 9 11 52 40 12 63
5 Santista 38 16 11 11 74 61 13 59
6 Baback FC 38 15 14 9 61 47 14 59
7 Braguinha 38 15 14 9 60 52 8 59
8 Dunbooritano 38 18 4 16 57 52 5 58
9 Xavantes 38 13 15 10 47 44 3 54
10 Laausp 38 14 10 14 67 64 3 52
11 EC Melhorais 38 13 11 14 50 52 -2 50
12 Litorâneo 38 13 10 15 46 49 -3 49
13 Capital 38 13 10 15 45 50 -5 49
14 Refugiados 38 13 10 15 40 45 -5 49
15 Palestra 38 13 8 17 52 56 -4 47
16 Locabens United 38 11 10 17 46 60 -14 43
17 Sertão 38 9 13 16 45 57 -12 40
18 Tronos 38 9 6 23 47 75 -28 33
19 Binários 38 7 12 19 37 59 -22 33
20 Snooker Team 38 7 9 22 42 73 -31 30

2nd Phase:

Second Phase – Quarterfinals First Leg:
Dunbooritano 2-4 Associação Imobiliária
Braguinha 2-2 Internacional de Penderia
Baback FC 5-0 Santa Cruz do Norte
Santista 0-0 Velha Guarda

Second Leg:
Associação Imobiliária 1-0 Dunbooritano
Internacional de Penderia 2-0 Braguinha
Santa Cruz do Norte 1-1 Baback FC
Velha Guarda 3-1 Santista

Semifinals First Leg:
Velha Guarda 0-0 Associação Imobiliária
Baback FC 2-1 Internacional de Penderia

Second Leg:
Associação Imobiliária 1-0 Velha Guarda
Internacional de Penderia 3-3 Baback FC

Final 1st Leg:
Baback FC 1-1 Associação Imobiliária

2nd Leg:

Associação Imobiliária 2-0 Baback FC

ASSOCIAÇÃO IMOBILIÁRIA WINS THE FIFTH DIVISION!

Teams invited for the fifth division: Tropicália, Estrela da Manhã, Cruzeiro do Sul and Guaraense.

LIDYT Transfer Season Roundup

This season, the LIDYT preseason transfer window was relatively quiet, given the extreme activity of the past. In the past, top LIDYT teams had attempted (and, for the most part, succeeded) in bringing foreign internationals to the LIDYT, by using a combination of monetary lures, the opportunity for secondary monetary gains (from side jobs such as advertising), and the high chance for title victory. This season, however, there was very little of that. Many attributed this to the increased revenue sharing agreements mandated by Deron Smithes, new LIDYT head and legendary Yaforite international. Due to these agreements, richer clubs were forced to give a certain percentage of their wealth to poorer clubs in the same division. As such agreements were passed, top LIDYT clubs no longer had the money necessary to scout out and purchase foreign internationals and, as such, the few foreign internationals who moved to the LIDYT this season instead were offered contracts by top LIDYT clubs and then signed said contracts.

The first large scale purchase of a foreign international was that of Dancougar player Kevin Underwood by IYC Hadaris. Underwood had failed to impress clubs in Daehanjeiguk with his tryouts in that country and IYC Hadaris, who had been scouting players from Dancougar ever since that country's improbably run and penalty defeat of Yafor 2 in the last World Cup, were quick to snap up Underwood by offering him a contract comparable to the one that had been received by Cafundelense center midfielder Éverton after his transfer to Yafor 2 last season. Underwood was quick to accept and he became the first player from Dancougar ever to don the uniform of a Yaforite club. Hadaris, then, greatly improved their team, while only putting a slight strain on their salary budget.

Well-supported IYC Ajer were the main club to lighten up the transfer window, as the majority of internal LIDYT transfers (of which there were a lot, mostly centering around swapping player) related one or more of their player. Manager Jumer Havas, noting that his contract is up at the end of this season, was quick to remove underachieving players, as well as gain players who he believes can work together well. Kura-Pellandi attacking midfielder Pepe Pupori was one of the first to be jettisoned, as he was sent off to Ramen United for a lot less money than IYC Ajer had spent on him the year before. His performance last season had been disappointing and thus, he was a loss of money for the Ajer-based club.

Young Macabean superstar Mika d'Angíel was a contractual signing. He had been excellent in World Cup Qualifying, under a Yaforite manager, and Havas reputedly spent a record amount of money on a striker to lure the young star to IYC Ajer. To spare room for a young striker at the top of their formation, IYC Ajer moved disappoint Vanorian striker Jeros Dragonhand to Cardarel FC, along with a large bundle of cash, in exchange for Yaforite international striker Zyante Meleherat, who could, in Havas' mind, serve as a possible mentor for the young Macabean, as, indeed, their playing styles were relatively similar.

The main stars for IYC Ajer in the past, as well, were sent off. Brendan Deguela, the Zwangzug international who was a two-time LIDYT Midfielder of the Season was exchanged in a swap deal with champions Chelmar FC for Yaforite international defensive midfielder Mosada Juhan and cash. To many analysts, IYC Ajer's problem in the past season had been the fact that they had had four playmakers in their midfield and too many players who had been used to holding the ball at their feet. This swap allowed Chelmar FC to get rid of Juhan, who, having developed as a pure defensive midfielder, was no longer able to play alone in the center midfield for Chelmar in their 5-3-2 formation, while allowing Ajer to get a true defensive midfielder in the form of Mosada Juhan.

Using cash obtained in other deals, Cardarel FC signed former Zwangzug internationals Evan Terwilliger and Steven Ruck, who many regarded as both past their prime. To fill the void at left midfielder opened by Terwilliger's departure, Chelmar FC signed Amario Otavias, the former Yaforite U21 star who many regard as the next great Yaforite left midfielder. IYC Ajer, to replace Ruck, purchased Zwangzug international Dirk Grosa from Spenson Suburbia, who quickly used that money to buy Kiera FC's Marish Patriin. The deal of the season, however, was a three-team swap deal sending Prince Sebard, IYC Ajer's iconic player to LIDYT-A "Honorary Andrei Arshavin Football/Soccer Division" champions IYC Toralen. Toralen then sent four players from their excellent youth system to Cardarel FC, who moved young Vanorian international Jamichel Totez to IYC Ajer. Ajer also sent money to Cardarel FC. It was a thunderous deal, as all three teams gained and lost in equal numbers.

The last of Cardarel's stars, David Insfield, the breakout performer of the this World Cup's Qualifying, was also let go - this time by a straight purchase by a foreign club, Ad'ihani champions CF Mont-Pluie. The Ad'ihani club used a great deal of money to sign the player, money that Cardarel immediately moved into their youth system. Insfield is expected to have another excellent season abroad and to wow scouts once more.

Even an uneventful transfer window can be pretty eventful! This season is gearing up to be a good one in the LIDYT.

For the first time in the history of West Zirconian football, a foreign manager has been appointed - in fact, not only one, but two managers have come from overseas to take over at West Zirconian clubs.

Dancougaran duo Pat French and and Vic Martin have now arrived in West Zirconia, fully aware of their place in history. Pat French has perhaps the more difficult task, that of taking Moorcroft City from the doldrums back to the glory days that their supporters remember and expect. He arrives with a wealth of experience in Dancougar's college leagues (most recently as coach of Hazuki State University), as well as having had a successful spell as coach of the Dancougaran national team. Vic Martin arrives from Port Royal University, having taken the club to the top of Dancougaran college football. He will take charge at Division Two newcomers Hyland Town.

Reaction to the appointments has largely been positive. Bradley Hornets manager Liam Simpson commented that it would "stamp out any complacency our own managers might have," while Chris Irwin, manager of Taylor's Cross, said of French's arrival at Moorcroft City, "As least it spares us from having that idiot [City chairman Richard Bonner] at the League Managers' meetings!" The mood at the clubs themselves was upbeat - particularly at Moorcroft, where captain Ben Phillips said, "We just need some stability now, after what we've all been through - this new manager's just what we need."

The two new managers are expected to hold press conferences shortly.

Dancougar - Offseason Briefs

Chuuoushi: Pat French, who has coached Hazuki State University since it began college play almost twenty years ago, has refused a contract extension to jump to professional football. He will take over floundering Moorcroft City in the West Zirconian first division. After turning down the position at CF America Chuuoushi when the D-League was founded two years ago, French says he's reevaluated his career goals and wants to coach at a higher level.

"There will be high expectations are Moorcroft City," he said at a press conference earlier today. "The team has a strong history, strong supporters, and I'm looking forward to the challenge. My only regret, leaving now, is that I could never bring Hazuki State a championship in the tournament era."

Hazuki State were crowned national champions twice during his reign, both coming before the institution of the spring tournament. This past year, his team finished No. 1 in the national poll and got past No. 2 University of Shikibu in the Conference Round before being eliminated. But the most impressive entry on the French resume is probably his short time as the national team head coach, which included a Baptism of Fire 26 victory and fourth place group finish - one spot out of qualification - in Dancougar's first qualifying run.

Port Royal: In a surprising move, Vic Martin, the head man at Port Royal University, has resigned his post to jump to Hyland Town of the West Zirconian second division. In a press conference earlier today, Martin also revealed that he had been considered for the Moorcroft City job won by fellow college coach Pat French.

Martin's credentials are a string of strong finishes with Port Royal, who were second in the venerable Kishin Delta Collegiate Premier League this past season. Despite his success during the regular season, though, Martin has had problems at tournament time. This spring, Port Royal were bounced in the first round in an even matchup with the University of Fujiwara. His inability to "win the big one" has long been a thorn in his side, but the goals at Hyland will be more modest - win promotion.

"I don't feel like I'm lacking anything that I need to be a top coach," said Martin. "Sometimes things like that happen. It's football. But I feel like I can draw the best out of my players, and I'm with them to the end." Several of Martin's former Port Royal players have, in fact, made the jump to the D-League.

Kildare: Transfer rumors involving Green Wombat forward Claudia Bard have fallen to the wayside after her retirement during World Cup 41 qualifiers.

Sporting Kildare, who climbed from last in the league table to 9th, are reported to be in the market for a striker who can play in front of team MVP Lyle Dylandy, now entering his second season. The midfielder's five goals and twelve assists were the highlights of one of the league's worst offenses. With no other deals in the works, Kildare may have to wait for the Super Draft, where Dell Viper predicts that they'll take forward Kano Saito with the tenth pick.

With six teams playing internationally next season, the transfer front has been remarkably quiet. Jennifer Sloan's signing by Shuukyuu Kishin made headlines last summer, but so far no teams have indicated that a move is in the works. With the World Cup now in full swing, and the Cup of Harmony not too far away, analysts predict that teams may become more active within the next few weeks.

http://www.biezanow.net/~dominik/lzpn1.JPG

Extraliga

M W D L PTS GOALS
1. Lovos - Renault Atma 30 20 2 8 62 75-56 TQCC
2. Visby Nestle Quarcoo 30 15 4 11 49 60-48 TQCC
3. SD Borland Leve 30 15 4 11 49 61-57 TQCC
4. Telecom Cxal Shepenyagah 30 16 1 13 49 63-66 TQCC
5. Atma Teatanic 30 14 6 10 48 54-48 GLOBE
6. Edda EB Ulfborg 30 12 10 8 46 69-50 GLOBE
7. EMC Goar 30 13 5 12 44 54-52
8. FC Leve 30 14 2 14 44 69-80
9. LKS Perros-Guirec 30 12 6 12 42 67-62
10.Blaupunkt Leve 30 12 3 15 39 59-55
11.EBBC Bosch Atma 30 12 3 15 39 55-65
12.FC Keno Neuville 30 10 7 13 37 52-55
13.LTK Vester Atma 30 12 1 17 37 62-70
14.EDF Atma 30 9 7 14 34 54-63
15.AG Bitola Quarcoo 30 9 6 15 33 47-60
16.MACIF Goar 30 8 5 17 29 59-73


Liga 2


1. RCL Atma 30 54 67-51 SBCC
2. LNL Courier Haxley 30 53 66-47 SBCC
3. LGS Shepenyagah 30 52 62-49 SBCC
4. Levka FOS Leve 30 46 56-50 SBCC
-------------------------------------- promoted to Extraliga
5. Lindos Volvo Ulfborg 30 46 52-50
6. Atlas-Beemen Atma 30 46 52-51
7. ASC Calvena Goar 30 43 47-52
8. Espre VCS Leve 30 43 49-56
9. Rancilio Shepenyagah 30 42 52-44
10.TFL Ventura Ulfborg 30 41 48-50
11.Aurora Rafaelburg 30 38 55-52
12.Motorola Goar 30 37 53-64
13.FHSG Ahon Haxley 30 35 58-62
----------------------------relegated to Liga 3
14.Nyborg Club Perros-Guirec 30 34 53-57
15.Electra NABI Rafaelburg 30 32 47-62
16.Billoux BCG Shepenyagah 30 32 46-63



Liga 3


1. Gravity Rafaelburg
2. Visea DR Haxley
3. Drexir Quarcoo
-------------------------------------- promoted to Liga 2
4. Calvi Lovun Leve
5. US Leve
6. Lear-GAP Rivo
7. Start Nylanders Sint Vilbeert
8. La Vey Rafaelburg
9. TeamSystem Superior Rivo
10.APCO-GV Goar
11.Carisma Optica Quarcoo
12.Vipera Ulfborg
----------------------------relegated to Liga 4
13.Castrop-hva Evda
14.CMS Energy Shepenyagah
15.Shetlanders Quarcoo
16.INCO-AVIC Shepenyagah


Liga 4


1. CabelRo Goar
2. FC Guixos
3. Petrac Olympia Shepenyagah
4. Club Olafsvik
-------------------------------------- promoted to Liga 3
5. Vibo Atma
6. Vibo Sint Vilbeert
7. FC Coral
8. FC River Creek
9. Consul VW Ulfborg
10.IMTM Siemens Quarcoo
11.Zakros Kilios Lovis
12.Allgou Rivo
13.Dispo-Calvados 02 Vorh
14.Eeri Rhae
----------------------------relegated to Liga 5
15.VingCard Shepenyagah
16.Erica Zepter Club Shepenyagah
17.Secura Ulborg
18.Tyst! Goar


Liga 5 grupa zachodnia


1. Exyda 09 Atma
2. Pisac Vorh
------------------------------ promoted to liga 4
3. Nova Axlon-Neustadt
4. FC Blu Cervinia
5. Dessa-Sollentuna Leve
6. FC Cesna
7. Oceania Malva
8. Calvena Blu Cervinia
9. Vibo Neuville
10.FC Epidavros
11.Calvena 02 Rhae
12.FC Axlon-Neustadt
13.Vibo Malva


Liga 5 grupa wschodnia


1. Gallea Rafaelburg
2. FC Leer-Cobalt
------------------------------- promoted to liga 4
3. ESBF Krug VBC Haxley
4. FC Kivik
5. RTB Carpenteras Rivo
6. Estima Tecto
7. Gallea Olafsvik
8. FC Pirin
9. OKS Olafsvik
10.Narva Courmayeur
11.Yola Mesco Rafaelburg
12.Ayr Rafaelburg
13.YLE Langnese Haxley
14.Nevex Ulfborg
15.Kotek Villa Mrucqius
16.FC Villa Mrucqius
17. Lovisa Kilios Lovis

Clausura Matchday Fourteen: Once in every thread

There's a post that goes like this, when hopes that started dead will end up with a miss...

-5th minute: This is it, folks. Matchday fourteen, twenty-eight, thirty-one? However you're counting, for six teams, this is where the season ends. Or maybe when.

0th minute: Aaand we're underway. I think. This is never how time dilation was meant to be employed...just call it fluid.

2nd minute: "Time dilation is just for astronauts. Too bad Spenson doesn't have any spaceships...oh, wait!" -BJ in Fulpog, by text. (Fulpog is a suburb of Spenson-the suburb, in fact, in which Spenson Suburbia play their home games. They're in Trecelunas right now.)

9th minute: "En realidad, nuestro partido es más interesante que 12 de noviembre-Arlington City. Ellos no tienen ningún razón para jugar...y Arlington está descando su mejores. ¡Pero podemos evitar ser últimos, si ganemos!" -Maria in Trecelunas, by text.

11th minute: "Wen did Aguazul get net xs^" asks whizkid41. Great question. Computers were relegalized seven days ago, if my lame tries at this time dilation business are right, but I don't think the Internet is legal. Maybe she's on the inside?

14th minute: GOAL! Effortless for Deportivo Peralta! Guiomar Oleastro sets up Adalberto Molina perfectly and the shot is good. Now they need the Pumas to come through.

19th minute: "La misma problema de la estación pasada. Pero las Pumas pueden marcar los puntos. ¿Ciudad? ¡Jajaja!" -afishi02, Ciudad Peralta, by text

23rd minute: Something tells me he's (or, I suppose, she's) stopped laughing. Chip Noonan, on the counterattack once again. 12 de noviembre have completely dominated the first twenty minutes to be fair, but Noonan lays in the pass for Miles Wishon to score...don't go anywhere, we've got another goal! Eleuterio Roldán clears a cross from Dirk Grosa and deflects the ball to Elian Lobo. Lobo shakes off Devon Goeltz, and Trecelunas FC are out of the basement!

25th minute: "Do you have viewing ratings for those two matches? Attendances? Spenson-Trecelunas has got to be more exciting, and nobody would have seen it coming." -hammyhero

36th minute: Depor double their lead! Molina relays to Patricio Olmos, Fatima Nejem tries to intercept. No avail: Olmos scores.

43rd minute: Ah, we're tied back in Ciudagua. Quique Aiza brilliant just behind Donato Casales, as per usual: makes room for the latter to poke it past Trey Moonshower.

44th minute: "whizkid, estamos mirando los partidos por televisór. nadie dice que no podemos tener teléfonos celulares...¿Pero dos goles entre estos equipos? ¿tan rapidamente? ¡no lo puedo creer!" -enriK, by text
"Masson would have saved that, I like to think...forgive an old fan's delusions. Arlington City are bound to face an attacking opponent so it makes sense to rest their defense, I only hope it doesn't backfire." -undergroundilan

45th minute: GOAL! Amilcar Quintana on top form, passes to Gabriel Vega to go into halftime.

And what a halftime it is! If these scores hold, Deportivo Peralta will win the regular season!

"2-0? This should be more trouble than will be for Namiri Forest-remember the final? Oh, and anything you can do about the graininess? It's fine on the computer but we're trying to watch on the really big screens." -meetee

Sorry, no such luck. Good point, though: Namiri were 2-0 up and blew the lead (to 12 de noviembre!) They should have an even easier time against a more open defense.

"todavía no habemos perdido en la clausura, no empezamos ahora." -perultra, Ciudad Peralta, by text

46th minute: And we're back at it.

51st minute: 12 de noviembre pull ahead, Casales again off a pass from Joaquín Cuéllar.

53rd minute: Uh-oh, meetee might have been on to something. It's that Kimiran Yahakov left wide open in front of net and he scores! Deportivo Peralta are still on top, but that could change at any time.

60th minute: Halftime entrant Pascual Rendón scores in Trecelunas.

63rd minute: TIED UP IN SAN PABLO! Jonas Henke over to Muus Jurin, who takes aim and places it past Dimas Holguín.

66th minute: "Si termine así, perderíamos por GD. Por segundo vez. Encenderémos cosas." -perultra, Ciudad Peralta, by text

I'm so surprised.

72nd minute: It's not going to end like that! Zoe McQuoid beats Carlito Digüella in the midfield and scores! Tie game, and Rovers United lead the league!

76th minute: "If Rovers finish 15-11-2 and Deportivo 13-15-4, they'd be tied by some people's accounts. I would pay money to hear Vidur Chatterjee say that Deportivo Peralta deserve to be at least tied for first. Mind you, GD will sort it out anyway, barring...more goals than are fair in a Namiri game!" -meetee

78th minute: "Pues...Arlington-Rovers jugarían aquí, ¿no?. Sería...interesante si perultra y sus amigos miren." - afishi02, Ciudad Peralta, by text

81th minute: You expect me to keep track of this? Goyo Macías with the goal! Pumas lead again, but as meetee pointed out, that's not gonna help if Deportivo can't score.

85th minute: Robin Hormel, what the?! Completely overwhelms the San Pablo midfield, and sets up Natasha Keller for the goal! Rovers lead outright!

89th minute: Can we exhale yet? Cayetano Pinzón with a beautiful shot that hits the post!

Full time! Rovers win! This is the matchday that ends like this. And what a day it was.

Clausura standings:
W D L GF GA GD Pts
Deportivo Peralta 8 10 0 28 21 7 34
Arlington City 8 3 3 25 13 12 27
Rovers United 7 6 1 25 17 8 27
Namiri Forest 5 7 2 23 14 9 22
Trecelunas FC 3 7 4 14 14 0 16
12 de noviembre 2 6 6 16 21 -5 12
San Pablo 2 4 8 18 32 -14 10
Spenson Suburbia 2 3 9 8 25 -17 9

Overall standings:
W D L GF GA GD Pts
Rovers United 15 11 2 50 34 16 56
Deportivo Peralta 13 15 4 53 43 10 54
Arlington City 15 6 7 47 29 18 51
Namiri Forest 11 12 5 38 25 13 45
San Pablo 7 6 15 39 57 -18 27
12 de noviembre 5 11 12 32 40 -8 26
Trecelunas FC 3 16 9 26 33 -7 23
Spenson Suburbia 6 5 17 23 47 -24 23

Final: When football season rolls around

Milchama made a World Cup final not so long ago. So maybe there is hope...

Nobody in Zwangzug has much to say about Arlington. The famous (or infamous) cities are the ones that stand out from our normal, whatever that is. And Arlington is just that. Its chief claim to fame in the cold car-banning north is the home of the world's seventh-longest skyway system.

Yeah. Most impressive, perhaps, is the way that fans have taken to the game: not obsessively, necessarily, but still sincerely. For all the geekiness the City fans can be a simple lot. "Football, right? Nah, not that football, the other football. Right...that's the game where they don't score a lot of goals, isn't it?" Don't bother confusing them with how exciting goals are. It only throws the poor folks off, and besides, exciting action just isn't what we're all about.

So it was the team in blue that took the field against Rovers United, which play in white. What the Rovers' fanbase lacks in cohesion it makes up for in size. The distribution of football clubs in Zwangzug is rather ridiculously skewed west, with both of the other teams playing there. The Rovers, therefore, draw support from Bassabook to the FTC, and plenty of their fans went to Ciudad Peralta for the final. Yes, with all the talk about Zwangzug, Zwangzug, Zwangzug, we forgot about Aguazul. Sorry about that. As sort of implied, not really, last time around, the fact that both finalists came from the same country meant that the other one would get to host it. So it's probably a good thing Deportivo didn't win, otherwise we'd have had to play in Namiri Forest or somewhere and they're almost like part of the nation, too! At any rate, Rovers United are involved, so the point's mostly academic.

Hormel assisted on the first goal, which came in the twenty-fourth minute off the boot of Curtis Naluk. Until that point, Arlington's defense had seemed fine as normal, with the well-rested players easing back into the swing of things. Arlington went and tied it in the thirty-ninth, when Wesley Ridder headed Geoff Kempner's cross into the goal.

So 1-1 at the half, fittingly enough this year. Would it hold? Nope. Minute sixty-one, Melissa Prine was on the...all right, in the Rovers' end of the field. Weston Luzader charged for the ball, as he is prone to do, and Prine niftily passed to Wishon for the go-ahead goal. So it was until the eighty-second, anyhow, when the Rovers struck back again (they've been getting rather good at that). This time around, Keller sent Jurin the equalizing pass.

And once again, 2-2 it ended. But this time was different in extra time: just enough trust in the software that there was some sort of hope for a goal. Add to that the Rovers' free-spirited attack, which negated Arlington's proud defense, for a match with no bias for either side. It came down to skill-and luck.

Minute 108. Kai Masson had made a simplistic save. Upfield to Bennett Covy, holding fast even in this big of a game. Jurin? Rebecca Calhoun. Hormel. Keller. Noonan. Still Noonan-Melissa Prine now, and? Goal! Arlington City up 3-2!

And they held on, at last. Their defense tired but proud, until the whistle blew. And then? If Arlington is the nation in miniature, it is still a city, and cities understand how and why to celebrate. Not with pride, perhaps, but joy: from the unheralded backups to stars that thrive in obscurity, those twenty-three are winners of the league.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/Oli55/TournoiIRClogo-1.png


Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Yuba United 3 3 0 0 9 0 9 9
2 Olympique Protectorat 3 2 0 1 8 3 5 6
3 Poikimitagiin FE 3 1 0 2 3 7 -4 3
4 CS Lac-Amédée 3 0 0 3 3 13 -10 0

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/Oli55/Superligue-soccer-logo2.png

Before the season began, quite a few transfers were organised, mainly between Cafundelense teams and Septentrionian teams. Let's take a look at them:

Ronaldão: SC Lasft (Cafundeu) --> CS Sept-Onze Ourseville: 105,740,000 SFC
Paul Bourassa: US Septentrionalis --> América (Cafundeu): 39,652,500 SFC
Gérard Labrie: CA Ourseville --> A.F.F. (Cafundeu): 39,652,500 SFC
René Laviolette: St-FX --> CS Sept-Onze Ourseville: 41,300,000 SFC

With these signings, CS Sept-Onze were looking forward to a great season. Especially after their loss in the final of the TakilQuip Champions Cup, crowning the best club in the world, that was held at their own stadium, Stade du Rivage. A ceremony was held before the game to celebrate the achievement. Let's see if they could build on that and if the the other 15 Superligue teams could do better than them:


Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
P 1 CS Sept-Onze Ourseville 30 18 10 2 50 21 29 64
P 2 ASJL Cap-Nord 30 18 6 6 50 27 23 60
P 3 Union d'Ourseville 30 16 7 7 46 34 12 55
P 4 US Septentrionalis 30 16 6 8 45 33 12 54
P 5 CS Lac-Amédée 30 13 8 9 38 32 6 47
P 6 CF Grand-Glacier 30 12 7 11 48 43 5 43
P 7 FC Cap-Phare 30 10 9 11 29 33 -4 39
P 8 Nordiqueville AF 30 10 9 11 35 42 -7 39
------------------------------------------------------------------
9 SC Mont-Bleu 30 10 8 12 28 30 -2 38
10 CS Ourseville 1093 30 9 8 13 43 45 -2 35
11 Stade du Dauphin 30 9 8 13 31 35 -4 35
12 Mont-Lambert FC 30 10 5 15 32 37 -5 35
13 Richelieu AC 30 6 12 12 25 32 -7 30
------------------------------------------------------------------
R 14 Club de Hockey St-FX 30 6 10 14 29 44 -15 28
R 15 Mont-Surrindère SC 30 6 9 15 33 59 -26 27
R 16 CO Baieville 30 5 10 15 35 50 -15 25

As you can see, there's a little change this time: the bottom three teams relegate directly to 2e Division while the first three teams from 2e Division promote directly to Superligue. In addition, these 3 teams plus the 4th-placed team will participate to the Serie B Champions Cup.

Deuxième Division


Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
P 1 Bourdailleux 30 18 6 6 41 26 15 60 SBCC
P 2 CH Vaudreuil 30 14 6 10 44 39 5 48 SBCC
P 3 Desmarais 30 12 9 9 40 30 10 45 SBCC
------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Club Latin 30 12 9 9 48 44 4 45 SBCC
5 Baie-Verte CCFC 30 13 5 12 39 37 2 44
6 AA Benoîtville 30 12 8 10 35 35 0 44
7 AS Île-Benoît 30 12 6 12 37 35 2 42
8 L'Étoile du Nord FC 30 11 9 10 41 45 -4 42
9 SC Presqu'île 30 11 8 11 40 44 -4 41
10 Septentrionalis HC 30 10 8 12 39 44 -5 38
11 Sauvageville 30 9 10 11 36 36 0 37
12 Calembourg 30 10 7 13 36 38 -2 37
13 CA Ourseville 30 9 9 12 41 44 -3 36
14 FC Les Vals 30 9 8 13 45 49 -4 35
15 CH Piedmont 30 7 11 12 30 34 -4 32
16 Orléans 30 9 5 16 36 48 -12 32

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/Oli55/bouclierdespresidents.png

The newly-formed national cup for Septentrionia. It was formed after lower amateur clubs wanted a shot at facing the best clubs in the nation for some money prize. After an agreement with the major clubs, all the clubs in the nation are allowed to participate in the cup. The format used is the following:


First round: Every amateur club enter the Cup. Direct elimination until 16 clubs are left
When 16 clubs are left: the 16 2e Division squad enter the cup, drawn against amateur clubs
Winners are drawn with the 16 Superligue sides
Teams are randomly drawn until the final


This year, 128 amateur sides entered the cup, which counts for three rounds until the amount of 16 teams is reached. We join in the 4th Round, as the 2e Division sides enter the cup:

Ouvriers de la nation 3-2 Orléans
Amis de Sainte-Denise 0-2 Sauvageville
Étoiles de Dubreuil 2-3 Club Latin
CS Anse-aux-Crapauds 1-3 CH Vaudreuil
Maccabi Milchama 3-3p Calembourg
Brasserie Les Deux Épais 3-1 Desmarais
SS des Monts 0-3 Septentrionalis HC
Juniors de Baie-Douce 0-4 AA Benoîtville
Cavaliers de Jeanne d'Arc 0-1 Bourdailleux
Police de Saint-Jacques 3-2 CH Piedmont
Atlantes de Grand-Chariot 1-0 Baie-Verte CCFC
Voyageurs 0-1 L'Étoile du Nord FC
Club de la Fonction Publique 0-2 FC Les Vals
Bostopians FC 0-2 AS Île-Benoît
RefisGreek United 1-4 Club Athlétique Ourseville
Amateurs de Côte-Ravin 1-1p SC Presqu'île

As is usual in national cups, we can see some upsets in here: We can see Ouvriers de la Nation beating Orléans, Brasserie Les Deux Épais beat Desmarais, who would go on to promote to Superligue. As well, the Policemen of Saint-Jacques stole the win against CH Piedmont in an unexpected way, as they got a penalty in the 90th minute. Baie-Verte CCFC proved they had a very bad season by getting beat by Atlantes de Grand-Chariot and, finally, Amateurs de Côte-Ravin almost beat SC Presqu'île, same for Maccabi Milchama against Calembourg.

Fifth Round
Ouvriers de la nation 2-3 CS Sept-Onze Ourseville
Sauvageville 0-1 CS Lac-Amédée
Club Latin 0-1 Union d'Ourseville
CH Vaudreuil 2-2p ASJL Cap-Nord
Calembourg 0-3 CF Grand-Glacier
Brasserie Les Deux Épais 1-3 FC Cap-Phare
Septentrionalis HC 0-0p Stade du Dauphin
AA Benoîtville 2-0 US Septentrionalis
Bourdailleux 1-2 Richelieu AC
Police de Saint-Jacques 2-5 CS Ourseville 1093
Atlantes de Grand-Chariot 1-2 Mont-Lambert FC
L'Étoile du Nord FC 1-3 Club de Hockey St-FX
FC Les Vals 2-1 SC Mont-Bleu
AS Île-Benoît 4-3 Nordiqueville AF
Club Athlétique Ourseville 3-0 CO Baieville
SC Presqu'île 0-1 Mont-Surrindère SC

No real upset here, aside of CS Sept-Onze who had to fight until the last minute to beat Ouvriers de la nation and CA Ourseville beating CO Baieville 3-0, which proves that CA Ourseville simply had a bad season last season.

Sixth Round
Mont-Surrindère SC 2-3 AS Île-Benoît
CS Lac-Amédée 3-2 AA Benoîtville
Club de Hockey St-FX 4-3 Richelieu AC
FC Les Vals 1-0 CS Ourseville 1093
Mont-Lambert FC 0-2 Stade du Dauphin
Club Athlétique Ourseville 2-3 Union d'Ourseville
CS Sept-Onze Ourseville 4-1 FC Cap-Phare
CF Grand-Glacier 1-2 ASJL Cap-Nord

Quarterfinals
CS Lac-Amédée 1-0 FC Les Vals
Stade du Dauphin 2-0 AS Île-Benoît
CS Sept-Onze Ourseville 0-1 ASJL Cap-Nord
Union d'Ourseville 1-2 Club de Hockey St-FX

Semifinals
ASJL Cap-Nord 0-1 Club de Hockey St-FX
CS Lac-Amédée 1-0 Stade du Dauphin

Final (In Stade 1093, Ourseville)
Club de Hockey St-FX 2-3 CS Lac-Amédée

Lac-Amédée are the first holders of the Bouclier du Président

Superligue playoffs

But let's not forget the essential: the Superligue playoffs. After all, they're the ones who will crown the real Septentrionian champions. The real reasons they're kept is because of the viewer attendances they generate: over a million people watch the final every year, and it's growing year after year.

Quarterfinals
CS Sept-Onze Ourseville 1-0 Nordiqueville AF
ASJL Cap-Nord 2-2p FC Cap-Phare
Union d'Ourseville 3-0 CF Grand-Glacier
US Septentrionalis 0-0p CS Lac-Amédée

Semifinals
CS Sept-Onze Ourseville 1-1p FC Cap-Phare
Union d'Ourseville 3-2 CS Lac-Amédée

Final
FC Cap-Phare 0-2 Union d'Ourseville

Union d'Ourseville are the champions of this year's Superligue.

Participating to the different international cups:

TakilQuip Champions Cup:

Union d'Ourseville (Champions)
FC Cap-Phare (Finalist)
CS Sept-Onze (Semi-Finalist and runner-up of the TQCC)
CS Lac-Amédée (Semi-Finalist)

Globe Cup:

Club de Hockey St-FX (Runner-up Bouclier du Président; Taking place of CS Lac-Amédée)
ASJL Cap-Nord (Highest ranked eliminated Quarter-finalist)

Serie B Champions Cup:

Bourdailleux (Champions)
CH Vaudreuil (2nd place)
Desmarais (3rd place)
Club Latin (4th place)

http://www.thirdgeek.com/ns/logos/eliteleague/

Qualifiers for international competition
CAPITALIZT SLANI
Sonoma Center Panthers TQCC 1
Medoria Löwen TQCC 2
Yuba United TQCC 3
San Diego Iguanas TQCC 4
Aeropag Penguins TQCC 5
ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī Globe 1
Syoko Poggyūggijī Globe 2
KQ Nepáïire Tingitana SBCC 1
Jackson FC SBCC 2
Dawson Springs FC SBCC 3

JASĪʼYŪN
Carter FC TQCC 1
Noka Mariners TQCC 2
Dusanto Mojaʼikījī TQCC 3
New Haverford Albion Globe 1
Naquada Falls Demons Globe 2
Qidade Savana SBCC 1
Jamaica Giants SBCC 2
Sokojito Dosi Dalamjwijī SBCC 3
Lexington FC SBCC 4
Heidelstadt Falken SBCC 5

2149 Capitalizt Élite League—final standings
Defending champions Sonoma Center always looked the best of the sides in this year’s Élite League, though they weren’t able to secure their third title until the antepenultimate matchday. The much-anticipated Sokojito derby was short-lived, as Dalamjwijī were relegated despite getting the better of their rivals. Yuba had a poor season, similar to their showing two years earlier, but will return to the TakilQuip Champions’ Cup on the strength of last season’s performance.
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Sonoma Center Panthers COM 34 20 6 8 85 54 31 66 Champions/TQCC
2 Medoria Löwen COM 34 17 8 9 60 52 8 59 TQCC
3 San Diego Iguanas COM 34 16 10 8 51 43 8 58 TQCC
4 Carter FC JSY 34 16 8 10 50 37 13 56 TQCC
5 Aeropag Penguins COM 34 15 10 9 46 36 10 55 TQCC
6 Yuba United COM 34 15 9 10 49 42 7 54 TQCC
7 Naquada Falls Demons JSY 34 15 8 11 48 40 8 53 Globe Cup
8 KQ Nepáïire Tingitana COM 34 13 10 11 49 45 4 49 SBCC
9 Dusanto Mojaʼikījī JSY 34 13 9 12 41 45 -4 48 TQCC
10 San Solari FC COM 34 12 12 10 54 45 9 48
11 Noka Mariners JSY 34 12 8 14 42 44 -2 44 TQCC
12 Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen COM 34 11 7 16 41 44 -3 40
13 South Coast United JSY 34 11 6 17 38 57 -19 39
14 Black Oasis Athletic COM 34 10 8 16 39 49 -10 38
15 High Mountain Buffalo JSY 34 9 10 15 35 43 -8 37
16 Sokojito Dosi Dalamjwijī JSY 34 8 10 16 32 46 -14 34 Relegated/SBCC
17 Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK COM 34 8 9 17 51 63 -12 33 Relegated
18 New Haverford Albion JSY 34 8 6 20 30 56 -26 30 Relegated/Globe Cup

Élite League Two
Qidade Savana was determined to regain their spot in the Élite League, and stayed on top of the division from wire to wire, notching up an impressive 7–0 win over the defensive-minded Graceville Salamanders. Four-time Bedistani champions Jamaica Giants will make their return to top-tier football next season; at the opposite end of the table, former Champions’ Cup participant Lexington FC will be shunted into League Three, though their Samseong Series B Champions’ Cup invitation remains valid.
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Qidade Savana JSY 34 22 4 8 92 49 43 70 Promoted/SBCC
2 Jamaica Giants JSY 34 19 9 6 45 28 17 66 Promoted/SBCC
3 Jackson FC COM 34 17 7 10 46 32 14 58 Promoted/SBCC
4 Dawson Springs FC COM 34 14 15 5 28 20 8 57 SBCC
5 Heidelstadt Falken JSY 34 16 8 10 47 37 10 56 SBCC
6 Ἄργος ΛΠ COM 34 15 7 12 44 33 11 52
7 Natestadt Nationalisten COM 34 11 18 5 26 19 7 51
8 Cordubovica Falcons COM 34 12 9 13 40 43 -3 45
9 Kagoshima Phoenix COM 34 11 11 12 34 36 -2 44
10 Humai Titans JSY 34 11 10 13 42 48 -6 43
11 Griffin Zebras JSY 34 10 10 14 33 47 -14 40
12 Seansburgh Cougars COM 34 8 14 12 34 41 -7 38
13 Querzakhi United COM 34 7 16 11 21 23 -2 37
14 Silto Dosi ʼYasāŋmajī JSY 34 8 12 14 36 44 -8 36
15 Syoko Poggyūggijī COM 34 8 11 15 26 36 -10 35 Globe Cup
16 New Hampton Terrapins JSY 34 8 9 17 33 47 -14 33
17 Lexington FC JSY 34 8 8 18 39 63 -24 32 Relegated/SBCC
18 Graceville Salamanders JSY 34 7 10 17 21 41 -20 31 Relegated

Élite League Three
League Three North
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Sonoma City Volcanoes COM 34 20 6 8 86 37 49 66 Promoted
2 Keto Lodīlūnajī JSY 34 19 8 7 67 45 22 65
3 Lisda Lokado Goji Salamjī JSY 34 17 10 7 40 25 15 61
4 Chorion Bluffs Knights COM 34 16 9 9 61 45 16 57
5 Forest Hill FC JSY 34 15 12 7 48 31 17 57
6 KQ Sirto COM 34 15 10 9 65 48 17 55
7 Laniuq Explorers COM 34 13 13 8 43 32 11 52
8 Musketiere Twintown JSY 34 12 15 7 40 32 8 51
9 Penbulg Donʼujī JSY 34 12 12 10 51 47 4 48
10 Navarre Town COM 34 11 15 8 35 34 1 48
11 Nyendoli ʼYoŋjī JSY 34 11 15 8 30 24 6 48
12 Ari FC COM 34 12 8 14 52 62 -10 44
13 Cambridge Pioniere COM 34 10 8 16 56 68 -12 38
14 Lolestu CK COM 34 8 14 12 25 31 -6 38
15 Teʼyaçu Joŋlyugijī COM 34 5 13 16 35 58 -23 28
16 Accola Eagles COM 34 5 11 18 27 46 -19 26 Relegated
17 SV Pößneck COM 34 3 15 16 35 64 -29 24 Relegated
18 SV Sorastadt JSY 34 1 8 25 18 85 -67 11 Relegated

League Three South
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Werd Beachcombers COM 34 20 10 4 44 20 24 70 Promoted
2 ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī COM 34 18 10 6 48 29 19 64 Globe Cup
3 Eintracht Maastricht JSY 34 18 8 8 61 41 20 62
4 Alexandria Porcupines JSY 34 16 11 7 37 21 16 59
5 Kitsilano Konquerors COM 34 15 11 8 38 26 12 56
6 Lexington Firefoxes COM 34 14 7 13 62 48 14 49
7 Dennis Bears COM 34 12 13 9 32 26 6 49
8 Sūŋja Pitūs Gyūlhabdwen JSY 34 13 8 13 34 34 0 47
9 SpVgg Tolzerio COM 34 11 14 9 22 22 0 47
10 RKA Warriors COM 34 13 7 14 47 44 3 46
11 Πόρτο-Χε Δολοφόνοι COM 34 11 13 10 33 30 3 46
12 St Raphael B’ing Bishops JSY 34 9 13 12 24 31 -7 40
13 Commerce Heights T’birds COM 34 12 2 20 55 77 -22 38
14 Eintracht Südtolzerio COM 34 10 8 16 28 36 -8 38
15 Midway Wolves COM 34 9 9 16 35 45 -10 36
16 Scarab Inferno COM 34 8 10 16 47 66 -19 34 Relegated
17 Floral FC JSY 34 7 8 19 46 76 -30 29 Relegated
18 Südtolzerio Kreuzfahrer JSY 34 4 10 20 32 53 -21 22 Relegated

Élite League Four winners
The expansion of the Élite League concluded this season with eighteen new teams being added to League Four, for a total of eighteen teams in each division. Though Capitalizt SLANI invited top clubs from non-league competitions to enter, Jasīʼyūn chose instead to allocate their places to reserve teams, making this the first season that reserve teams have played in the Capitalizt/Bedistani league pyramid. The reserve teams played a part in Jasīʼyūn’s first-ever sweep of the regional leagues, helping to restore balance between the two associations in the upper levels.
League 4/A: Noka Mariners B (JSY)
League 4/B: Heidelstadt Falken B (JSY)
League 4/C: Eastfield Rogues (JSY)
League 4/D: Kaiwu Mavericks (JSY)
League 4/E: Portland Safari (JSY)
League 4/F: Naquada Falls Demons B (JSY)

Élite League Cup
The League Cup received a few format changes due to the eighteen new teams. San Solari gave a confident performance in the final, winning over the favored Panthers 3–1 and becoming the fifth team to earn a star on their crest.
Fifth Round
(EL2) Jackson FC 1–1 Noka Mariners (CEL)
(L3N) Cambridge Pioniere 1–1 San Solari FC (CEL)
(CEL) Carter FC 0–2 KQ Nepáïire Tingitana (CEL)
(L3N) KQ Sirto 3–1 Lexington FC (EL2)
(L3S) Kitsilano Konquerors 0–0 San Diego Iguanas (CEL)
(L3N) SV Pößneck 2–5 Aeropag Penguins (CEL)
(EL2) Jamaica Giants 3–3 New Haverford Albion (CEL)
(CEL) Sokojito Dosi Dalamjwijī 0–1 Syoko Poggyūggijī (EL2)
(L3N) Ari FC 2–0 RKA Warriors (L3S)
(CEL) Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen 5–0 Portland Safari (4/E)
(CEL) Naquada Falls Demons 2–0 Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (CEL)
(CEL) Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK 0–0 Werd Beachcombers (L3S)
(EL2) Dawson Springs FC 0–1 High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)
(CEL) Sonoma Center Panthers 5–2 Cordubovica Falcons (EL2)
(CEL) Black Oasis Athletic 2–3 Yuba United (CEL)
(CEL) Medoria Löwen 1–1 South Coast United (CEL)

Fifth Round Replays
(CEL) Noka Mariners 1–2 Jackson FC (EL2)
(CEL) San Solari FC 3–0 Cambridge Pioniere (L3N)
(CEL) San Diego Iguanas 1–1 Kitsilano Konquerors (L3S)
Extra time: 1–1
Penalty kicks: 2–4
(CEL) New Haverford Albion 1–0 Jamaica Giants (EL2)
(L3S) Werd Beachcombers 2–2 Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK (CEL)
Extra time: 2–2
Penalty kicks: 3–4
(CEL) South Coast United 1–3 Medoria Löwen (CEL)

Sixth Round
(EL2) Jackson FC 0–1 San Solari FC (CEL)
(CEL) KQ Nepáïire Tingitana 5–2 KQ Sirto (L3N)
(L3S) Kitsilano Konquerors 1–0 Aeropag Penguins (CEL)
(CEL) New Haverford Albion 1–0 Syoko Poggyūggijī (EL2)
(L3N) Ari FC 0–2 Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen (CEL)
(CEL) Naquada Falls Demons 1–0 Werd Beachcombers (L3S)
(CEL) High Mountain Buffalo 1–1 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)
(CEL) Yuba United 0–1 Medoria Löwen (CEL)

Sixth Round Replay
(CEL) Sonoma Center Panthers 5–2 High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)

Quarterfinals
(CEL) San Solari FC 2–1 KQ Nepáïire Tingitana (CEL)
(L3S) Kitsilano Konquerors 2–1 New Haverford Albion (CEL)
(CEL) Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen 3–0 Naquada Falls Demons (CEL)
(CEL) Sonoma Center Panthers 2–1 Medoria Löwen (CEL)

Semifinals
(CEL) San Solari FC 1–0 Kitsilano Konquerors (L3S)
(CEL) Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen 1–3 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)

Final
(CEL) San Solari FC 3-1 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)

TechConGroup Cup
The TechConGroup Cup format also got some tweaks. Sonoma Center dominated the competition, winning the final by a record 5–0 scoreline over ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī as part of their double, winning them their second star. The fans on the losing side were surely not too disappointed by the result, however, as the League Three club will be Capitalizt SLANI’s top-seeded representative in the Globe Cup next season by virtue of reaching the final.
Fourth Round
(EL2) Dawson Springs FC 0–2 Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK (CEL)
(CEL) San Diego Iguanas 3–1 KQ Nepáïire Tingitana (CEL)
(EL2) Kagoshima Phoenix 1–1 Commerce Heights T’birds (L3S)
Extra time: 1–2
(L3N) Sonoma City Volcanoes 0–1 Ἄργος ΛΠ (EL2)
(4/F) Konduli Sanʼyaŋjī 0–5 Yuba United (CEL)
(EL2) Jackson FC 1–0 Natestadt Nationalisten (EL2)
(L3S) ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī 1–1 Querzakhi United (EL2)
Extra time: 2–2
Penalty kicks: 2–1
(4/E) Jonloli Gyūlhabdwen 3–1 Mifflinburg FC (4/B)
(CEL) Aeropag Penguins 4–0 SV Metrewalk (4/B)
(EL2) Seansburgh Cougars 1–0 Accola Eagles (L3N)
(CEL) Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen 4–3 Medoria Löwen (CEL)
(4/C) Concrete Jungle FC 0–3 Black Oasis Athletic (CEL)
(L3N) Ari FC 2–7 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)
(4/B) Blauplanet Krieger 1–3 Syoko Poggyūggijī (EL2)
(CEL) San Solari FC 3–1 KQ Sirto (L3N)
(L3S) Lexington Firefoxes 1–3 Cordubovica Falcons (EL2)

Fifth Round
(CEL) Sokojiʼwa Dosi CK 1–3 San Diego Iguanas (CEL)
(L3S) Commerce Heights T’birds 1–2 Ἄργος ΛΠ (EL2)
(CEL) Yuba United 0–2 Jackson FC (EL2)
(L3S) ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī 3–3 Jonloli Gyūlhabdwen (4/E)
Extra time: 5–3
(CEL) Aeropag Penguins 0–0 Seansburgh Cougars (EL2)
Extra time: 0–0
Penalty kicks: 1–4
(CEL) Sokojito Dosi Gyūlhabdwen 3–0 Syoko Poggyūggijī (EL2)
(CEL) San Solari FC 1–4 Cordubovica Falcons (EL2)

Quarterfinals
(CEL) San Diego Iguanas 4–1 Ἄργος ΛΠ (EL2)
(EL2) Jackson FC 2–3 ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī (L3S)
(EL2) Seansburgh Cougars 1–1 Black Oasis Athletic (CEL)
Extra time: 1–1
Penalty kicks: 4–1
(CEL) Sonoma Center Panthers 2–0 Cordubovica Falcons (EL2)

Semifinals
(CEL) San Diego Iguanas 3–4 ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī (L3S)
(EL2) Seansburgh Cougars 0–2 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)

Final
(L3S) ʼEbestigatus Tāpuŋjī 0–5 Sonoma Center Panthers (CEL)

자스연 컵 (Jasīʼyūn Kūb)
Sixth Round
(EL2) Griffin Zebras 2–1 Heidelstadt Falken (EL2)
(EL2) Heidelstadt Falken (3) 2–1 (3) Griffin Zebras (EL2)
Extra time: (3) 2–1 (3)
Penalty kicks: 1–2

(L3N) Musketiere Twintown 2–0 Qidade Savana (EL2)
(EL2) Qidade Savana (3) 3–1 (3) Musketiere Twintown (L3N)
Away goals: 0–1

(L3N) Forest Hill FC 1–0 South Coast United (CEL)
(CEL) South Coast United (3) 3–0 (1) Forest Hill FC (L3N)

(CEL) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī 1–0 Carter FC (CEL)
(CEL) Carter FC (2) 2–1 (2) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (CEL)
Away goals: 0–1

(CEL) High Mountain Buffalo 2–0 Silto Dosi ʼYasāŋmajī (EL2)
(EL2) Silto Dosi ʼYasāŋmajī (1) 1–1 (3) High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)

(CEL) Sokojito Dosi Dalamjwijī 2–3 Naquada Falls Demons (CEL)
(CEL) Naquada Falls Demons (7) 4–0 (2) Sokojito Dosi Dalamjwijī (CEL)

(EL2) Graceville Salamanders 1–1 Eintracht Maastricht (L3S)
(L3S) Eintracht Maastricht (2) 1–1 (2) Graceville Salamanders (EL2)
Extra time: (2) 1–1 (2)
Penalty kicks: 3–1


Quarterfinals
(EL2) Griffin Zebras 1–0 Musketiere Twintown (L3N)
(L3N) Musketiere Twintown (3) 3–1 (2) Griffin Zebras (EL2)

(CEL) South Coast United 1–1 Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (CEL)
(CEL) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (5) 4–0 (1) South Coast United (CEL)

(CEL) High Mountain Buffalo 0–1 Naquada Falls Demons (CEL)
(CEL) Naquada Falls Demons (1) 0–0 (0) High Mountain Buffalo (CEL)

(L3S) Eintracht Maastricht 1–3 New Haverford Albion (CEL)
(CEL) New Haverford Albion (6) 3–3 (4) Eintracht Maastricht (L3S)


Semifinals
(L3N) Musketiere Twintown 2–1 Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (CEL)
(CEL) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (3) 2–1 (3) Musketiere Twintown (L3N)
Extra time: (3) 2–1 (3)
Penalty kicks: 4–1

(CEL) Naquada Falls Demons 2–2 New Haverford Albion (CEL)
(CEL) New Haverford Albion (3) 1–1 (3) Naquada Falls Demons (CEL)
Away goals: 2–1


Final
(CEL) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī 2–1 New Haverford Albion (CEL)
(CEL) New Haverford Albion (3) 2–0 (2) Dusanto Mojaʼikījī (CEL)

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w175/candelariaandmarquez/cmscxxix.png

Matchday Twenty-Four: Have a kit-kat

Don’t worry, don’t worry, sh-sh-sh-sh-shush, it’s all right, it’s all over. There, there. No longer will ten of the eighteen CMSC1 sides have to cope without their World Cupping players. The league now goeth on hiatus for the duration of what should be a gleefully short C&M Harmony run and, when it returns, the Vanderpents, Carecas and Bellings of this world will be back for the final ten league fixtures (ten?!? Bloody hell…) and the last three rounds of the CMS Cup (What?! Okay, which one of you said this switching-to-eighteen-teams thing would be a good plan, eh? Own up!). Of course, then there’s the Di Bradini Cup to worry about, which will tear a couple of dozen young players from their manager’s assorted bosoms and send them over to Starblaydia for a couple of weeks, but hey; they’re only kids. Their clubs can manage without ‘em. Can’t they….?

Albrecht FC were already without their most likely DBCer – the left midfielder (and heaven knows we need one of those…) Ryan Fattori – for their encounter with Turks’ Club. Still, Daniel Armour’s a decent young stand-in, and they really haven’t noticed Peter Vanderpent’s absence, and who needs Francois St. Louis when you’ve got Dylan Farquar?

It’s starting to look as though Andy Le Lan’s tenure at the helm of the Scorpions will include this simple discussion every season: why do they become so utterly crap at this point of the year? They haven’t won since matchday nineteen, and we’ve ceased to expect them to. But against the beleaguered Khatib-Gassett side, under first-time manager Giorgio Pezzoni, surely they’d get back to winning ways at the MSS?

Well they didn’t, as you’ve probably guessed, on account of this being the main game an’ all. Instead, they took the lead through Ben Edwards and spent the rest of the game defending like mad. It didn’t work. Shane Wojciechowski’s age caught up with him in impressive fashion against the pace of the Turks’ brightish young things Ishmael Dolphin, Hague Parr, Manuel Zelzi (back from injury) and Eli Cripps (back from his jaunt to Nire, and apparently none the worse for it), and Stefan Santamaria, who’s young enough to be Wojciechowski’s son (out west and in certain parts of El din, anyway), was similarly shown up once or twice. Plus, the Zarblese right-back Valete is a bit of a dud. There. We’ve said it. There’s a crap foreigner playing in the CMSC. Frankly, they’d be better off playing Nic Noble.

Anyhoo, the lost 3-1, which keeps them at the top of the table but just ten points ahead of the Turks in thirteenth. And, for the first time, they’re no longer favourites – that honour has instead been taken by Asdrubal Espinoza’s Turkish, who took another 2-1 win this weekend. It was a struggle, against a pleasingly mid-table Caires Sports, but Turkish will (probably) have their three biggest names in Maini, Taylor and Soldarian back for matchday twenty-five, and that has to give them all the momentum.

Down at the other end of the table, Carl Woods had a fine first game at the Gamboa helm. The former Caires Sports manager has been out of work for some months, and his appointment came as something of a surprise, but he’s a perfect Gamboa man – a devotee of highly attack-minded football and a wearer of a perpetually condescending expression. He had to go back to basics for his first game back in the top-flight however, with his side expected to be under the cosh against the El din Marbles. And so they were, but the makeshift defence held, and the dropped left-back Aaron Abdellah gave Woods something to think about when he came on as a sub for the limping Eddy Price and promptly scored the only goal of the game from a Kevin Ely corner.

That result fails to lift Gamboa off bottom, but they’re only a point behind McDonald now, following their spirited 4-3 home defeat to Port of Clotaire that lifted the Harpies back into fifth. Carlos Panachero’s stock meanwhile is starting to fall dramatically now that the Marbles have slid into the drop zone, and a club not particularly used to success might very well have to get used to a sudden return to the old days if things don’t pick up quickly.

No less galling is the fact that Cathedral City are still in the title race, though the Cats wasted an opportunity to go top with a 2-0 defeat in Allemali. The Shining Sons may well have lost Presbury Ellis to the DBC by the time the league restarts, while their old enemies across the pond, Marquez-Onwere, will be boosted by the return of Jack Stafador. Without their midfield enforcer, they crumbled to a 3-0 defeat in Bove.

AFC MN Smith 3-0 Marquez-Onwere (Walker 32, Fauske 69 and 70)
Albrecht FC 1-3 Turks’ Club (B. Edwards 10; Towle 25, Dolphin 57, Parr 61)
Caires Sports 1-2 Albrecht Turkish (Meakin 64; Maidment 20, Dixon 82)
Candelaria-Allemali 2-0 Cathedral City (Ellis 27 and 74)
Candelaria Arsenal 0-1 Caires City (McGuire 38)
El din Marbles 0-1 Gamboa FC (Abdellah 78)
KT Hotspur 1-0 Arrigo Portuguese (Milton 29)
McDonald SC 3-4 Port of Clotaire (Arnold 21 and 44, England 75; Donnelly 35, Zetaback 55, Alaoui 72, Dotson 73)
Radyukevich CSC 1-1 Green Island (Naylor 24; Fitzpatrick 58)

Global Round-Up: Success, failure, and successful failure

And so, before the CMSC XXIX gets backs underway after a distressingly long period in the cooler (we’re never doing that again), a brief look at the ten representatives of C&M and their campaigns on the international stage is probably in order.

The fourth TQCC saw some widely divergent Candelariasian performances, which might well have seen the CMSC slump badly down the rankings were it not for some truly astonishing game-saving performances. Marquez-Onwere set the tone in the prelims, comfortably disposed of by the champions of Acapais – though, as it would turn out, Keenshire were an extremely strong outfit. The group stages were little better, with little Caires City simply outclassed on their first international foray. A Dionísio Madeira Lobos hat-trick against another set of Acapais natives, Highland Park, was the only highlight; but an unbeaten home record at least suggests that they would have something to build on were they to qualify for the TQCC5.

For the reigning champions though, this truly was a season (or half-season, or whatever) to forget. They were unlucky, certainly, against the Aeropag Penguins, with the UCS’s own Ryan Taylor guilty of some poor misses, but it was an exhausted defence that ultimately cost them. No Candelariasian side will want to play Keenshire again in a hurry.

Life was pretty mixed for Albrecht FC too, but their home game against United Trilan will be remembered for a long time. A six-nil scoreline did the Scorpions justice, made at utter mockery of the Candelariasian ‘keeper Ozzy Stefano and defender Demario Ortiz, and will have asked big questions of Adam Williamson – Albrecht coach Andy Le Lan’s predecessor as C&M Under-21 coach. The two biggest clubs in these two rival countries have developed a nice little rivalry of their own in recent times, but the C&M side are certainly getting the better of it just now. The biggest clashes of the group stage were undoubtedly between the Vélez brothers’ Cafundó do Juta and the former champions Yuba United however, though both ultimately eased through.

Albrecht FC got themselves one of the worst draws they could have asked for in the last sixteen, in the form of Keenshire. They were, frankly, outplayed home and away, but the presence of Peter Vanderpent proved the difference in the 2-1 aggregate victory. The surprise Cafundelense champions of Clube Imperial proved, if anything, less of a challenge; the 3-1 home victory one of Albrecht’s finest on the global stage so far.

All this time, a replay of the first final looked to be on the cards, but Albrecht could just about consider themselves the favourites against Olympique Protectorat, especially after the Adi’hanis’ 3-0 home defeat in the previous match. So it proved, but a little club from the JSY group had other considerations when it came to the final. Last time out, Albrecht Turkish had been the romantic choice, after the events in the Candelariasian capital not long prior to their victory. In Raynor City, the lowly Noka Mariners – eleventh in the last Élite League – were the story.

And so the capital was denied another party… Except, for the outer boroughs at least, there was still much to celebrate. Albrecht Independent hardly ripped it up in Group H of the first SBCC, finishing second behind Kareen FC and looking a long way behind the Cafundelense contingent and the inevitable unpronounceable Capitalizt entry. If anything, Melin & Nader or Ironside looked the better bets to keep up the CMSC2’s honour, but the Indies were about to embark on a memorable few weeks. Two-one down to Vila Velha with two minutes to go, young Rio Kwan scored a sensational equaliser to underline his promise and leave it to LeRoy Myers to make the Indies’ progress completely safe. In the quarter-finals, they were eased aside by Northtown, only to take them back to the Army Ground and crush them. Later, in swirling rain in Hoxton, they managed but a one-all draw against their group stage nemesis Kareen, but the Eesseffians were soon downed on home turf.

Having disposed of Ironside, KQ Nepáïire Tingitana had to be the favourites come the final; yet another CAM against COM encounter. Over in the Empire, the luck proved on the Capitalizts’ side however, with a late equaliser coming in after Andrew Abbott’s opener. The lone striker and former Green Island man had plenty left in the tank however, and two breakaway goals in extra time gave the Indies a stunning title.

The icing on the cake came in the 1093 Bière Super Cup. Though the Indies’ chances of lifting another trophy were effectively dashed against Char Sara, their 2-0 win over a full-strength Noka Mariners was entirely deserved. The Globe Cup winners were simply a cut above in that tournament, even with the presence of Petardos S/A, Sept-Onze, the Sonoma Center Panthers and the like in the planet’s second competition.

Still, the Candelariasian representatives performed well, even if MN Smith’s collapse was cemented by their defeat to Lovisan opposition. Cathedral City put up a valiant fight against Petardos, while MarquezOW continued to strike blows for C&M football against both the Iguanas and Panthers – even if they were reliant on penalties against the latter. They were finally downed by Harrington Lakeside – surprise, if deserved finalists; but, after MarquezOW’s TQCC failure, the naranja must be satisfied with their performances here. At the very least, it shows that we’ve got some surprising strength and depth over here.

Which is nice.

Matchday Twenty-Five: Here we go again again

Again, again!, as the teletubbies would say, as we finally enter the home straight of XXIX. And not before time. Anyone remember what’s going on?

Oh yes, that’s right; we’re having to start to think the unthinkable. Or certain sections of the press are, at any rate, after Albrecht FC came back from Raynor City and registered only a goalless draw at home to shot-shy Radyukevich. They had no excuses; Peter Vanderpent is back, Joe Cunningham had a great TQCC and scored the winning goal in the Cup of Harmony final (I know, who knew?) and only Ryan Fattori was missing on DBC duty (which looks likely to last the entire back end of the season), but the Jukos are still scrapping for every point – best witnessed when David Wolverton accepted a straight red and three-match ban when he hacked down Ryan Edwards a split-second away from a sure Scorpions goal.

Some are now starting to genuinely wonder whether Albrecht will even get a TQCC place now, never mind win the title as had seemed a foregone conclusion not so long ago. That might be a tad premature, for the truth is that absolutely anything can still happen, with ten points only separating first and tenth, and the leaders on just a +6 goal difference. Strength and depth, y’see? Int it nice?

The fears that the capital pair would ease to a one-two once again have long since gone… not that Albrecht Turkish aren’t top, you understand. But their 2-1 win against relegation-bound CandelariaAM was scraped out like the innards of some manner of shelled sea creature, and they can certainly take nothing for granted either – especially without Niv Cohen on hand.

At least they have the rest of their squad back, an advantage that Marquez-Onwere can’t claim. Fresh – or not, as the case proved – from their run to the Globe Cup semi-finals, MarquezOW were again without Jack Stafador, this time to the Oxen Cup, and that proved utterly crucial in their game against Cathedral City. Don’t even bother whispering it now – yes, their side consists of a wing-back from Frontenax, a couple of ancient Kura-Pellandis, and a centre-half called Christmas; but Charlie Cunningham’s Cats are real championship contenders. Their 4-0 beating of the naranja was simply breathtaking.

For the MarquezOW, seven points off Turkish, their own challenge looks likely to fade once again. This would be a good time to blood some of those youngsters they’re so keen on – or it would, but they’re only six points off the drop zone and really can’t risk anything. Strength and depth. Maybe it’s not such a great thing after all.

Caires City were simply outclassed in the Champions’ Cup, but they’re really not out of it either. Their two-nil win at KT Hotspur underlined their title potential – and just how good Dionísio can be. If the CAMAFA can sort his passport out after the debacle that was the CoH final (they won it, btw), the Big Blues have a real playa on their hands. Yes, you read it right. He’s a playa. That’s really good.

Port of Clotaire lead a block of teams still kinda in the hunt, but their 2-0 home defeat to Gamboa suggests that a TQCC place is the best they could manage, while Carl Woods may be set to lift the nobs of Abiodun to safety.

AFC MN Smith 3-4 El din Marbles (Jacobs 38, McDonald 43, Jones 66; Watson 5 and 74, Soro 89, O’Leary 90)
Albrecht FC 0-0 Radyukevich CSC
Arrigo Portuguese 1-1 Turks’ Club (Johansson 52; Nxele 59)
Caires Sports 2-2 Candelaria Arsenal (French 17 and 51; Shannon 49, Harouni 68)
Candelaria-Allemali 1-2 Albrecht Turkish (Bradley 47; Taylor 48, Kennedy 50)
Cathedral City 4-0 Marquez-Onwere (Ozi-Mayer 24, Federici 76, Spelman 79, Duxbury 90+2)
Green Island 4-2 McDonald SC (va Drake 28, Yalçin 40, Vidakovic 55, Okeke 87; Rose 7, Zapata og 45)
KT Hotspur 0-2 Caires City (Cozzi 63, Dionísio 82)
Port of Clotaire 0-2 Gamboa FC (Adekunde og 35, Dobson 35)

Matchday Twenty-Six

Okay, so maybe it’s not so premature. But you have to admit, it’s a crazy situation. Albrecht FC batted away United Trilan, Keenshire and Clube Imperial et al like they were Nr Webley Regional Division 2 outfits. Weeks later, and they’re struggling against McDonald Sports. You could be playing against O’Sullivan Caras, Dotos Ponten, Saulo and Julian D’Abbo, or against Sacha Wasilew, William Rose, Nic England and Ferhat Guzelis. Surely there’s no argument here?

And for eighty minutes that was the case, as the Scorpions attempted to struggle back from recent league hiccoughs with a serene display in Saurin. Stefan Santamaria looked decidedly bored in goal, and Peter Vanderpent’s early goal looked likely to be enough. And then the walls came tumbling down, and the travelling fans were left gaping unattractively once more, as the Dons hit three in the final ten minutes.

Bearing in mind that they were missing Richard Arnold, their best player this season by some margin, McDonald should simply not have been allowed to perform like that, and the champions really have to pull it together quickly if they’re going to have a hope of stopping their neighbours from taking the trophy back to Hoxton. Particularly after Ryan Edwards was ruled out for a couple of games.

Albrecht Turkish are now five points clear of the Scorpions, though given that they had a home game against Marquez-Onwere this weekend, that’s hardly a surprise. A far more notable performance came in Arrigo, where Caires City took another powerful away win. On the face of it, it’s expected – Portuguese remain grimly mid-table, and you have to wonder about Matthew Tortini’s future while the club show so few signs of going anywhere. El Profesor keeps promising that he’s building for the future, and they do have some decent young players, but Avilass Gackbang, Matt Reddington and Djabgor Cvecej will also need replacing sooner or later and it’s hard to see where Eduardo Morales is going to get his title challenge from. The Errant Knights meanwhile, paupers to Portuguese’s billionaires, continue to perform consistently without any visible means of support.

While Elgin Dannat could prove both Caires City’s saviour and Cathedral City’s nightmare, the El din Marbles may well have put a more decisive spanner in the Cats’ works. There was no football played in the Marquezian city this weekend, obviously, though Andrés Toluca somehow managed not to send anyone off, and Jack Marshall was able to ignore all the hullabaloo around him (although, to be fair, he doesn’t really have much choice) to poke in the Marbles’ winner.

Ted Garrido meanwhile, over at a rather less roughhouse game in Abiodun, gave out two red cards when Kevin Ely and Reiban Okeke had a nice little punch-up, as Gamboa’s revival was halted by a not-entirely-out-of-it Green Island. In what is still supposed to be very much a transitionary season for Hane Davies’ men, the GIZ are up to fifth, ahead of KT Hotspur (whut??) on goal difference. Thomas Larson’s tedious mob smacked Caires Sports at the Kaleta Online Dome, with the Knights having gone to pieces a bit since Ahershk Valinial buggered off to Starblaydia. PoC stumbled in Bove, while Turks’ Club pushed themselves further out of danger and Radyukevich into it. They’ll probably never win by more than one goal, but Giorgio Pezzoni is, very quietly, doing a terrific job under trying circumstances.

AFC MN Smith 2-1 Port of Clotaire (Brightmore 5, Redway og 66; Waywide 49)
Albrecht Turkish 2-1 Marquez-Onwere (Soldarian 32, Maini 60; Beye 89)
Arrigo Portuguese 1-3 Caires City (Cvecej 41; Varnali 19, Dionísio 74, McGuire 86)
Caires Sports 1-4 KT Hotspur (French 68; Johnson 17, Gallagher 26, Tensen 27 and 32)
Candelaria-Allemali 1-2 Candelaria Arsenal (Hamley 20; Ytterland 8, Shannon 54)
El din Marbles 1-0 Cathedral City (Marshall 51)
Gamboa FC 1-3 Green Island (Richardson 36; Vidakovic 44, Okeke 51, Yalçin 82)
McDonald SC 3-1 Albrecht FC (Rose 83, Juracka 87, P. Wasilew 90; Vanderpent 17)
Radyukevich CSC 0-1 Turks’ Club (Johnson 10)

CMS Cup Quarter-Finals

It’s highly questionable whether anyone but the eight clubs left involved give a figgin, I’ll grant you, and even that’s not a given, but the CMS Cup this year is still a diverting contest. With most of the big guns out, MarquezOW are probably the favourites to make the final for a third straight season, while KT Hotspur also had the chance to do the same. More notable was the presence of the Melin Professionals, who are having a dire time in the league after concentrating on this cup just an ickle too much, and of the two better Candelariasian sides from the SBCC. The Indies and Ironside could well pull off a CMSC2 one-two, although you won’t be surprised to hear that that division’s pretty damn tight at the moment too, even with the distractions of two cup competitions.

The Indies’ll be the favourites for the CMSC2 title now, partly on their SBCC performance and partly because they were knocked out of the CMS Cup this weekend. That it was an under-strength Gamboa side doing the knocking doesn’t bode entirely well for their chances next season, assuming they do go up, though only an impressive Lewis Piccioni goalkeeping performance, Andrew Abbott’s not-remotely-top-flight-qualityness, and a spectacular hit from teenage midfielder John Yeoman gave the Abiodun club their place in the semis.

The CMSC1 strugglers will now face another CMSC2 high-flyer, in the form of Ironside-Talinger. This is a club that doesn’t even have a fulltime manager now, after Carl Woods upped and left for… Gamboa, funnily enough, but the veteran stand-in Robert Kilroy certainly isn’t doing a bad job. A single away goal was the difference in Rose of Sharon; midfielder William Cook shinning over Joel Sbaïz’s line in the first half.

Marquez-Onwere were made to work for their place, following a draw against Candelaria-Allemali in Marquez. The modern CMSC’s oldest rivalry continued over in Candelaria, where the naranja finally got themselves in gear for a morale-boosting 3-1 win. Their semi-final opponents are the El din Marbles, who squeaked through against the Professionals.

Albrecht Independent FC 0-1 Gamboa FC (Yeoman 47)
Marquez-Onwere 1-1 Candelaria-Allemali (Johnson og 11; Ellis 39)
Replay: Candelaria-Allemali 1-3 Marquez-Onwere (Bradley 90+3; E. Kjaer 52, Siriwong 57, Careca 68)
KT Hotspur 0-1 Ironside-Talinger (Cook 25)
El din Marbles 2-1 Melin Professionals (Watson 69, Merino og 70; Naylor og 89)

Matchday Twenty-Seven: Champions’ chances fading fast

The Millerman Sheppard Stadium, quite possibly for the last time in its history, witnessed two matches this weekend – Saturday’s game; in which Albrecht Turkish edged that little closer to taking their title back, and Monday’s; in which Albrecht FC’s hold on the trophy they’ve lifted nine times previously looked set to slip away terminally.

Andy Le Lan has promised an almighty rocket up his team’s collective backside, whilst admitting that they are suffering from the mother of all hangovers following their defeat to the Noka Mariners in Raynor City. They were nothing but lacklustre after their 1-1 home draw against bottom of the table Gamboa, and next week’s trip to Bove looks another potential banana skin on current form. The Smudgers still have everything to play for to avoid relegation (whoever said eighteen teams and only three relegation spots was a bad idea, eh? Find these people and bring them to justice!), even if they’ll be without Kirby Brightmore through suspension (he’s a striker, he’s got five yellows… how did that happen?) and were smacked by the suddenly in-form Green Island on Saturday.

The A.Turks’ 3-1 win over the El din Marbles gives the Millermen a three point lead over Caires City and seven points over the GIZ and the Scorpions. Now that the euphoria over lifting the third Champions’ Cup has well and truly died down, fans are realistically starting to talk about the new Solidarity Stadium hosting the reigning CMSC champions next term, which is a big thing for A.Turks fans. Despite their size, and successes of years past, they still only have two CMSC league titles to their name, and aren’t yet nearly as blasé as their neighbours in the capital.

Such talk might be a little premature, but their major challengers aren’t doing themselves any favours. The Caires derby (alright a Caires derby – the Caires FC board have excellent lawyers) ended goalless, while Cathedral City also took just a point at home to a PoC side still in the hunt for a Champions’ Cup place. With Arrigo Portuguese and Turks’ Club winning, the all-important top six places will likely be spread around the top ten, with everyone else battling to stave off relegation, but don’t rule out any later movers just yet. Candelaria-Allemali, for example, who have been fortunate not to lose key players to the Di Bradini Cup and are coming into form at just the right moment. They’re still a desperately uninspiring side (and club, frankly) but kudos to Paulson Gates for investing in Andrew Bradley, discarded at Turks’ Club and now the leading Candelariasian scorer in the league (that’s only ten goals, but still…) and trusting the ability of Tate Parrish, without whom they could well be dead and buried already.

For the record, if anyone’s keeping notes, the top scorer so far is the one that got away; the C&M-born Sorthern Northlander Lee Waywide, at PoC. He’s got thirteen. They really do like to spread ‘em around in this league, don’t they?

Albrecht FC 1-1 Gamboa FC (B. Edwards 7; Castelão 17)
Albrecht Turkish 3-1 El din Marbles (Taylor 31, Reizei 34, Tucker 84; Soro 13)
Caires City 0-0 Caires Sports
Candelaria-Allemali 4-2 KT Hotspur (Knight og 10, Parrish 33, Bradley 40 and 70; Shehu 23, Gallagher 29)
Candelaria Arsenal 0-1 Marquez-Onwere (Cassumba Domingos 6)
Cathedral City 1-1 Port of Clotaire (Silva de Aviz 65; Turkmen 58)
Green Island 3-0 AFC MN Smith (va Drake 44, Yalçin 55, Vidakovic 75)
Turks’ Club 1-0 McDonald SC (Parr 38)
Radyukevich CSC 0-1 Arrigo Portuguese (Johansson 45)

Matchday Twenty-Eight: Jory’s out (no he is, really) as the title edges towards the capital

On current form, the race to avoid relegation over the final six matches is going to be far more entertaining that that for the championship.

While it’s by no means dead and buried yet, Albrecht Turkish had moved six points clear at the top following the twenty-eighth round of games, and that could well be just too much for anyone else to handle. You wouldn’t begrudge ‘em it, while their playing like this; a series of proper team performances over recent weeks highlighting the solid quality of the whole squad. Gary Maini has probably been the key man, but even he has only notched up seven league goals and if the A.Turks do lift the title it’ll be a nightmare to pick out a single player of the season. Perhaps manager Asdrubal Espinoza should get the major plaudits instead, delivering a Champions’ Cup and CMSC gong in the same season. Turkish better thank their lucky stars that Aguazal doesn’t have a national team.

Alright, so it hasn’t happened yet; but how can you think they’re going to balls this one up now? The manner in which they rolled over the PoC was really very impressive; for all that the Harpies have been struggling badly for some weeks now, their own potential title bid a distant memory. And more to the point, who’s going to challenge the Millermen’s bid to keep the title in Albrecht for the eighth season in ten? Caires City are still the best placed, but their 1-0 defeat in Allemali against the bizarrely in-form Shining Sons did their hopes no good. If anyone can challenge them now then, it’s likely to be Green Island. On current form you can forget any bevy of summer bids for any of Hane Davies’ beloved Eesseffians; even without Tom Osborne, Davies is making the best of the previously disappointing Reiban Okeke, and their defence is the forth-best in the league, which is a totally new experience for the Zapata locals. A third second-place finish in five seasons? Don’t bet against it.

Cathedral City will still challenge, but they’ve got real ground to make up now after their defeat to the GIZ. Their main goal may be to hold off the reigning champions from taking a Champions’ Cup spot. Albrecht FC have simply fallen apart since losing the fourth TQCC final; a 2-1 defeat to MN Smith utterly deserved and far from unexpected. If it carries on like this, even a Globe Cup place may be beyond Andy Le Lan, with a quartet of foreign managers on his tail. Best placed among them is Thomas Larson at KT Hotspur, who scored four away goals in their 4-3 victory at Marquez-Onwere. Yes. That Thomas Larson. That KT Hotspur. In a seven-goal thriller.

It’s like I don’t recognise my own country any more.

Anyway, the header – Turpin Jory has left the Hilltop Stadium, following Radyukevich’s 1-1 draw with McDonald SC. The general consensus is that the Dons and Gamboa are going down, which is fine – the Saurin club budgeted for that, and Gamboa can afford it and no-one likes them anyway. But the Jukos? They’re in sixteenth and could be in a really bad way if they were to plummet and, when push came to shove, the board have gotten panicky. The new man hasn’t been announced, but it’s hard to see what he could do Finlay Endee, or Vincent Peluso, or Coleman Mustard or Turpin Jory couldn’t. Not that he’ll need to, for now – all that matters is safety. And baring in mind that only Albrecht Turkish will definitely, mathematically be in the CMSC1 next year (assuming they don’t field an ineligible player, or owt), it’s fair to say that nobody’s sleeping comfortable at the moment.

AFC MN Smith 2-1 Albrecht FC (Johansson 2, Fauske 44; Vanderpent 15)
Albrecht Turkish 3-1 Port of Clotaire (Maini 18, Taylor 57, Westhead 85; Waywide 30)
Caires Sports 0-1 Arrigo Portuguese (González 16)
Candelaria-Allemali 1-0 Caires City (Parrish 65)
El din Marbles 1-1 Candelaria Arsenal (LeCass 90+1; Cerullei 11)
Green Island 2-1 Cathedral City (Carpenter 53, Okeke 73; Baker 58)
Marquez-Onwere 3-4 KT Hotspur (Careca 60 and 87, Siriwong 82; Gallagher 9 and 50, Milton 62, Johnson 81)
Turks’ Club 2-1 Gamboa FC (Nxele 6, Johnson 88; Castelão 90)
Radyukevich CSC 1-1 McDonald SC (Rotherwell 51; P. Wasilew 64)

Matchday Twenty-Nine: Biggest. Weekend. Ever. Sort of.

Yea, not as big as it would have been if anything had actually been decided. But the title is now almost certainly going in a different direction, and the reigning champions now have a real war for Champions’ Cup football on their hands. Albrecht FC are used to being the centre of attention – but never quite like this.

The big talking point of the weekend was actually Pando Wasilew’s woeful challenge on Arrigo Portuguese ‘keeper Andy Harford, during McDonald’s 2-2 draw with Matthew Tortini’s men in Saurin. Straight red cards are necessarily that uncommon – Albrecht Turkish defender Lance Adams, Radyukevich wide man David Wolverton and KT Hotspur’s Kura-Pellandi wing-back Junichi Inaki have all be recent recipients – but it does seem that, with some referees at the moment, you’d need to take your boot off and repeatedly beat your opponent’s face with it, Golosstyle, to get yourself sent off. The overall quality of the men in black appears to be on the slide – C&M has an elite group of Toluca, Harvey, Garrido, Sheffield and Humberto, but beyond that it’s really very poor. Foreign referees for XXX? Stranger things have happened.

But enough about that – we were treated to some superb, tense football matches this weekend that leaves Albrecht Turkish with one hand on the trophy. Though both sides were far from full strength, the MSS was treated to a blinder between Turkish and Green Island, separated only – as ever, it seems – by an Eesseffian. Espy va Drake and Scott Soldarian both had fine opportunities, but it was the aristocrat who supplied the finish to keep the Millerman six points clear.

Caires City versus Marquez-Onwere was a no less decisive encounter, with the Errant Knights moving ten points clear of the naranja with a 2-0 win. The respective talents on offer should have made such a result a major upset, but City are indisputably one of the league’s major players, and most likely the only one capable of catching Turkish.

If Elgin Dannat is going to have a hard time resisting the calls of bigger (and better paid) jobs elsewhere, then Andy Le Lan will be hoping merely to keep his. A 1-1 draw in El din did neither the Cats nor Scorpions any favours, and it would have been much worse for the visitors, had Jason Federici not missed a string of chances. Cathedral may yet have the last laugh over Port of Clotaire, despite the increasingly exuberant-looking fee spent on the young Candelarian, though their nearest and dearest gave them no gifts on their bid for a TQCC place, after going down by a single goal in Rose of Sharon.

Elsewhere, Gamboa look dead and buried, with only the CMS Cup to think about, following a defeat in Wayne Hubert’s first game as Radyukevich manager. His arrival, after all-but guiding Abiodun South into the CMSC2, may give the Jukos the boost they desperately need, but other sides are peaking at the right time too – Caires Sports took three huge points in Allemali; a sensational result given the absence of Ahershk Valinial, Grey Mendoza and Kim Mihyeon to the DBC and an early injury to Archer French. Lone front-man Oran Baron set up Wilberto Flinter for the first-half stoppage-time equaliser, before teenage forward Robbie Sinjinir nodded in the winner.

AFC MN Smith 3-1 Turks’ Club (Brightmore 17, Johansson 42, Ireland 73; Cripps 67)
Albrecht Turkish 1-0 Green Island (Soldarian 53)
Caires City 2-0 Marquez-Onwere (Dionísio 14, Varnali 20)
Candelaria-Allemali 1-2 Caires Sports (Ellis 33; Flinter 45+1, Sinjinir 80)
Candelaria Arsenal 2-2 Port of Clotaire (Shannon 79, Ely 86; Jordan 1, Alaoui 45+1)
Cathedral City 1-1 Albrecht FC (Jobson 6; Vanderpent 52)
KT Hotspur 1-0 El din Marbles (Milton 54)
McDonald SC 2-2 Arrigo Portuguese (P. Wasilew 36, Roberts 39; Plet og 41, Travers 49)
Radyukevich CSC 3-1 Gamboa FC (Rotherwell 7 and 77, Naylor 88; Richardson 10)

CMS Cup Semi-Finals: Kilroy speaks the truth!

It had to happen eventually. Years after his era at Turks’ Club dribbled away to nothing, the unfortunately-named Robert Kilroy’s insistence that he could recover Ironside-Talinger in the aftermath of Carl Woods’ toddle-off to Gamboa and deliver them three titles in a season doesn’t look so laughable.

Alright, so the quarter-finals in the SBCC was their limit in the end, and they’ll still have to do a lot to overhaul Albrecht Independent in the promotion race. But Kilroy is now pretty much guaranteed another season in Talinger after taking Ironside into the CMS Cup final.

Though Green Island won the cup a few years ago on only their first season back in the top-flight, and Mayo Valley were champions in XXIII days after their relegation was confirmed, the last time any lower-league club reached the final was in XXI, when the ill-fated Arrigo City club were beaten 3-0 by none other than Ironside-Talinger. Prior to that, Bass FC lifted the Cup in XII against Gamboa FC; Ironside’s semi-final opposition this year. It’s all so neat, like a dear little mouse washing its paws.

In Gamboa, Ironside came up against their former manager’s new team, who really are starting to look like condemned men. Andrew Duffy has to take his share of the blame, for he was given money but still managed to produce a wafer-thin squad utterly unable to cope with injuries, the DBC and, in the case of Jua Huwang, the Oriental Cup. Instead, the centre of their midfield at the MSS had an average age of seventeen and a quarter. This is why they’re going to get relegated.

Ironside supporters will probably be more concerned that they had to rely on penalties to win, and it’s clear that they’ll need some major reinforcements before next term. Still, coming back from the crushing blow of Adlai Dobson’s late equaliser and Casper Richardson’s strike for 2-1 in extra time took guts, and young ‘keeper Darren Bryson showed top-flight steel in the shoot-out.

And they’ll meet… Not Marquez-Onwere, into the final for a third straight year. Because they’re not. It truly was an incredible encounter at the Estadio Arrigo Nacional, with the naranja going two down within ten minutes to Carlos Panadero’s El din Marbles, getting back to two-all, going three-two up a minute into the second half, seeing a superb free kick put in by Jack Marshall, and then watching as Nic Percy swung in a corner three minutes into injury time which missed everybody and went straight into Harry Primrose’s net.

So, it’s the El din Marbles versus Ironside-Talinger in the CMS Cup final.

Weee… Don’t anyone dare miss that one…

Marquez-Onwere 3-4 El din Marbles (Siriwong 12, Careca 16, Douaydari 46; LeCass 4, Quinn 8, Marshall 79, Percy 90+3)
@ Estadio Arrigo Nacional, Arrigo

Gamboa FC 1-1 Ironside-Talinger (Dobson 87; Calero 65)
(2-2 AET – Richardson 99; Wiater 109)
(Ironside-Talinger wins 3-0 on penalty kicks)
@ Millerman Sheppard Stadium, Albrecht

Matchday Thirty: So long, and thanks for all the points

Never mind Glasgow East – this is one contest you simply can’t afford to lose in your own backyard. The capital city derby may at times be an oddly tame affair, on and off the pitch, compared to its counterparts in El din and Clotaire in particular, but this one meant so very, very much. For one thing, it was the last time that the two clubs would meet at the Millerman Sheppard Stadium with both sides treating the arena as their home. Albrecht Turkish, following this game, have just two more encounters at the ground that bears the name of one of their truly great players of old – against Turks’ Club next week and against McDonald SC a fortnight later. Either match could see them presented with the CMSC trophy, but this game was always going to be a special occasion. The MSS may not be the most well-loved of stadia, least of all by A.Turks supporters, but leaving it for their all-singing, all-dancing and curiously retro new ground will still be a wrench.

Their corner of ‘away’ supporters gave the ground the perfect send-off, as they roared Turkish on to victory against Albrecht FC. This was – rather worryingly – probably the Scorpions’ best performance since the TQCC quarter-finals, and only old Shane Wojciechowski’s slow feet and goalkeeper Stefan Santamaria’s inexperience cost them, with international-quality strikers Ryan Taylor and Gary Maini capitalising with ease. Andy Le Lan has a couple of eminent forwards himself, but only Joe Cunningham found the net on the day when persisting rumours that he is on the verge of moving to Clube Imperial were denied only in the weakest of terms.

So soon after the Champions’ Cup final, fans are already talking about changes on the pitch, in the dugout and – perhaps most importantly – in the boardroom. They may get their wish on the latter front… though not quite in the way that they had imagined…

Meanwhile, their route back into the globe’s premier tournament was been made a tad easier by Green Island’s slip up in Lavange, that leave the C.A.L. with a great chance of staying up. McDonald Sports appeared to all-but condemn Gamboa to relegation, with a 3-2 win in Abiodun, while the El din Marbles’ narrow victory over Caires City keeps them two points ahead of the Saurin side and out of the drop zone. Radyukevich though, there’s the story – coming off the worse at home to MN Smith by the odd goal in five, Wayne Hubert may simply find this job beyond him. The Jukos have a ghastly-looking run-in, and confidence has simply flat-lined. If they start next season in the CMSC2, with an entirely changed XI, it really will be no surprise.

If KT Hotspur spend next season mixing it up with the Raynor City Rockers and Petardos S/A, it really will be. But they probably won’t. Not least because, by all accounts, they may not even be called that next year, as Lee Adamcyzk’s increasingly deranged period at the helm continues…

Albrecht FC 1-2 Albrecht Turkish (Cunningham 67; Taylor 17, Maini 79)
Arrigo Portuguese 0-0 Candelaria-Allemali
Caires Sports 2-1 Marquez-Onwere (Baron 37, Sinjinir 44; Careca 20)
Candelaria Arsenal 1-0 Green Island (Shannon 69)
El din Marbles 1-0 Caires City (Marshall 64)
Gamboa FC 2-3 McDonald SC (Abdellah 53, Yeoman 90+2; Roberts 12, Rose 38, S. Wasilew 68)
KT Hotspur 3-2 Port of Clotaire (Tensen 22, Gallagher 27, Bates 90+1; Waywide 19, Turkmen 55)
Radyukevich CSC 2-3 AFC MN Smith (Rotherwell 26, López 78; Johansson 50, Walker 65, Brightmore 86)
Turks’ Club 0-2 Cathedral City (Ozi-Mayer 31, Jobson 49)

Matchday Thirty-One: Some advice for the winners

They could really do with getting rid of Lance Adams.

As half-time in the Millerman Sheppard Stadium approached, Ryan Taylor shot weakly at Fedde Jeffrey. The Kura-Pellandi international number two began another Turks’ Club attack against a nervy Albrecht Turkish side, with former C&M international Walter Jordan playing possible future C&M international Mandla Nxele into space, who found Ishmael Dolphin, who’s never going to be a C&M international, unless we get really desperate, out on the left. Harris Dixon declined to let him dither and walloped the ball back out into the centre. An extended period of head tennis followed, inching steadily towards Oberon Martinez’s box, before the young Nire and Nire player (possibly) Eli Cripps ran into Lance Adams. The centre-half took a touch too many when he should have volleyed, and Cripps was left with a simple task.

Thankfully for the A.Turks supporters, he sliced his shot. The ball was later recovered in Thompsontown. Martinez sent his kick up the other end, Leon Towle utterly failed to take control of it, Scott Soldarian did, and Gary Maini had an open net in which to score.

And 1-0 it stayed, with the fans at the MSS turning their attention instead to events in Clotaire where the PoC were hosting Caires City, the Millermen’s last remaining challengers. Pep McGuire, lumbering through the Harpies’ defence like Gentle Ben, had scored low past Amis Cressey early on, but – with the fight against relegation weighing on their minds – a seriously cheesed off Port of Clotaire (and Albrecht Turkish) had the last laugh. Tom Redway scored a rare header from Serkan Turkmen’s corner, and the Kosenic winger knocked the winner in via Shane Avdeev.

And so, Albrecht Turkish’s league victory was assured, and the big ol’ pot was presented that afternoon. There’ll probably be an open-top bus ride, now. There usually is.

In the final reckoning, Turkish were simply better than everybody else. If they can get a quality centre-half to partner Steven Williams, and consider an upgrade on Hirokazu Reizei in the centre of the park, then it could yet be a one-team oligopoly for a good few moons to come.

Although we said that about Marquez-Onwere not so very long ago, and they’re just two points out of the drop zone. And Albrecht FC only earned a point in Lavange, and are two places below even a Globe Cup effort. Green Island, of the more successful clubs of recent years, are the main exceptions – with a 2-1 win in Rose of Sharon, their greater experience should help them stay in the top four. Caires City, on current showing, could well be the side to miss out. It’s going to be a most enjoyable final three matchdays.

Albrecht Turkish 1-0 Turks’ Club (Maini 45)
Caires Sports 2-0 El din Marbles (Banz 38, French 79)
Candelaria-Allemali 2-1 Marquez-Onwere (Bornemann 3, Hamley 11; Siriwong 69)
Candelaria Arsenal 1-1 Albrecht FC (Shannon 17; Vanderpent 75)
Cathedral City 1-0 Radyukevich CSC (Federici 37)
Gamboa FC 1-3 Arrigo Portuguese (Richardson 45+1; Reddington 23, Carocha 68, González 73)
KT Hotspur 1-2 Green Island (Kortsarian 48; Yilmaz 63 and 82)
McDonald SC 1-1 AFC MN Smith (P. Wasilew 36; England og 13)
Port of Clotaire 2-1 Caires City (Redway 77, Avdeev og 84; McGuire 12)

Matchday Thirty-Two: Are we about to lose our Marbles?

With two games to go, it’s now pretty much inevitable that someone ‘big’ is going to depart the CMSC1. How you define ‘big’ is a thornier problem – you could, for example, easily put Gamboa on that list, given their relative success over the years and relative wealth. Bad signings, board interference, too great a reliance on youth (and one old, in the form of the mid-thirties forward Sargento Castelão), and the regular loss of players to injury was too much for them, and defeat in Bove this weekend confirmed their relegation.

They could yet prove the only ‘big’ tumblers, with all four of last season’s promoted clubs in the running for the two remaining spots. The C.A.L., you may recall, opened up the season with a 7-1 drubbing of Gamboa (still the biggest victory of XXIX). Since then, they’ve gone on to lose only as many games as Caires City – draws have been the problem, thirteen of ‘em, with the latest added in Khatib-Gassett this weekend.

Both they and McDonald SC are fighting to keep up the honour of all-Candelariasian XIs, and prove that a modicum of success is possible without having a single foreigner in your ranks and, if they do both fend off relegation, it could provoke something of a sea change. Particularly given the three sides directly below them – Radyukevich, the El din Marbles and Marquez-Onwere.

Uh-huh.

All three clubs lost this weekend, and it’s comfortably odds-on now that at least one of them will finish in the bottom three. For MarquezOW, who were within an inch of reaching the Globe Cup final but a couple of months back, this is a barely credible situation. They can forget global football now; and this side with a World Cup winner, a heap of other internationals, and a CMSC XXVI title under their belts could well be facing the might of Deportivo María and Brayton Town week-in week-out next term. It certainly won’t be for the want of trying – their defeat this weekend was by the odd goal in seven over in Arrigo – and the next game will be utterly crucial. They host fellow Marquezians, the El din Marbles.

The Marbles may, at least in theory, have the larger fanbase, but it’s hard to argue as to whose exit would represent the greater shock. Yet Carlos Panadero’s side were another to be tipped as genuine title challengers at the start of the season, and it’ll genuinely be a shame to see them go. With that game against MarquezOW to come, before a trip to play Portuguese themselves, the odds really don’t look good. They offered nothing in defeat to Candelaria-Allemali (still far from safety themselves), but remain two points ahead of Radyukevich.

We’ve gone on about the unacceptability of the Jukos’ struggles more than long enough, but it doesn’t get any easier to stomach. Only a late Julius Rotherwell penalty put any gloss on their 3-1 home defeat to the new champions – they have an utterly huge game in Lavanage next week, and there’s every chance that even victory may not be enough to save them.

As for the other end… it’s just bonkers, frankly. Caires City won the crucial game, against Green Island, utterly against everyone’s expectations yet again. Another TQCC qualification is now in their own hands, and fans are really starting to buzz about the future. There’s talk of a ground extension an’ everythin’. With pretty flashing lights! Flashing lights!

And everywhere else…? Caires Sports, in tenth, could still make the TQCC.

Bonkers.

Albrecht FC 1-0 KT Hotspur (Vanderpent 11)
AFC MN Smith 2-1 Gamboa FC (Jones 23, Keddy 38; Richardson 28)
Arrigo Portuguese 4-3 Marquez-Onwere (Johansson 17, González 41, Beraza 62, Belling 81; Siriwong 3 and 53, Careca 73)
Caires City 1-0 Green Island (German 1)
El din Marbles 0-1 Candelaria-Allemali (Ellis 17)
McDonald SC 1-0 Cathedral City (Roberts 43)
Port of Clotaire 2-0 Caires Sports (Donnelly 60, Alaoui 90)
Radyukevich CSC 1-3 Albrecht Turkish (Rotherwell 86; Taylor 22 and 46, Maini 66)
Turks’ Club 0-0 Candelaria Arsenal