Cup of Harmony 15 [for World Cup 23 non-qualifiers] [Archive]

Bipedal Apes

19-07-2005, 13:46

In addition, you'll also be happy to know that banana-based recreational cigarettes - or "bananijuana" as it's known in the United Provinces - is legal in this country. However, please be advised that stadia in Krytenia follow a strict "no smoking" policy.

Thank you for judicious and expeditious ruling regarding player rosters. Ms. throckspartle hereby announces CoH player roster. She has also promised to tell players they must toke up before entering coliseum.

Coach: Ms. Throckspartle, Local 1033 Banana Pickers' Union
Assistant coach: Wagfal, Local 1033 Banana Pickers' Union

1. GK Spotrockle, Local 1033 Banana Pickers' Union
2. LD Proboscobid, Federated Banana Mills
3. CD Hooboy, Local 1033 Banana Pickers' Union
4. RD Wampoonder, Throk Sisters' Clothiers
5. LM Bamdooba, Federated Banana Mills
6. CM Trinandurnan, Local 1033 Banana Pickers' Union
7. RM Banmana, Throk Sisters' Clothiers
8. LF Melloopa, Federated Fermentation
9. CF Barsoom, Consolidated Federated Weavers, National
10. CF Angstohm, Local 1033 Banana Pickers' Union
11. RF Tribuana, Throck Sisters' Clothiers male

Reserves:
12. GK Hobartleby, Federated Fermentation
13. GK Oscartook, Consolidated Accountancy and Financialistic Oversight

17. D Looloo, Local 1033 Banana Pickers' Union
18. D Annabana, Consolidated Accountancy and Financialistic Oversight

22. M Rungtiggle, Consolidated Accountancy and Financialistic Oversight
23. CFM Bumdiddle, Consolidated Accountancy and Financialistic Oversight
24. M Srunglooey, Consolidated Accountancy and Financialistic Oversight

28. F Hobnottica, Local 1033 Banana Pickers' Union
29. RF Gazeboo, Federated Fermentation
30. F Wilbillow, Throck Sisters' Clothiers

Nedalia

19-07-2005, 14:56

The Lions are in!

Is this also the RP thread?

Druida

19-07-2005, 16:38

The Lions are in!

Is this also the RP thread?

This is the thread for everything. Rosters, RPs, scores, complaints and just about anything else.

Nedalia

19-07-2005, 16:53

The Nedalia Lions

After missing out on qualifying for World Cup 23, the Nedalians find themselves competing in their second consecutive Cup of Harmony competition, a bittersweet feeling according to star play Nene.

“I would much rather be playing at the grand stage,” commented the player. “But since that’s not possible, its always nice to know that there is a pretty prestigious competition going on for the teams that missed out, such as ourselves.”

The first CoH the Lions competed in didn’t bring too much glory to the squad, especially after the disappointment of the WC22 campaign. With the squad’s morale deflated, they crashed out in the first round of the CoH and never looked back. However, they plan on having a different outcome this time around.

“Sure, we weren’t impressive at all in the last competition, but this is a different squad. We believe we have to be one of the firm favorites in the entire competition, along with our eastern neighbors, Bettia. I wouldn’t be surprised if we met in the Finals of the competition. Watch out for this Lions squad,” said manager Randy Gamman.

With a star studded squad all making its way to Druida and Nedalia’s northern neighbors of Krytenia, there certainly is a sense of excitement in Nedalia about the chances of the Lions. In between the posts, Derrell Lynch will be available after an injury scare initially threw his availability into doubt. If he had been out due to injury, U21 star and Bettian based Hard Dans would’ve stood in for him.

The defense, while never Nedalia’s strong point, has begun playing with consistency and determination ever since Mohammed Khadra became a full 1st team member, moving up from his U21 status. The 23 year old central defender, who plays alongside team captain Cole Zenith, has been a rock in the back, and is tipped to take over as captain once the 31 year old Zenith decides to call it a day.

The midfield is where the Lions make their money (in the old Nedalian saying), with stars such as Nene, Trent Hardman, Khalil Jamhurra, Kenneth, Constantine, and Don Downing all competing for places. Nene, perhaps the biggest star on the squad, is an automatic selection for the left winger role. He made an offseason move to Vilitian club Marine Coast United for a record $30 million. Another player who made the move abroad was 23 year old defensive midfielder Trent Hardman, who made a move to Bettia to the sum of an estimated $7.5 million.

The strikeforce remains in fantastic shape, especially with the progress 21 year Tim James has made. In Season Two of the Nedalia Premier League, the $13 million rated forward ended up the 3rd leading scorer. He still, however, has yet to find enough in him to knock of Chris Yamtech and the eccentric Mattan, who made his move to Cockbill Street at the end of Season One for $12 million, off the top spots.

With such talent to be found in all positions of the squad, one can excuse Gamman for being optimistic about his chances. Here is hoping that his optimisim is justified.

Bipedal Apes

19-07-2005, 22:25

... The 23 year old central defender ... has been a rock in the back ...

Ouch! Ms. Throckspartle says she hopes Two-Footers don't play Lions. Aside from troubles Two-Footers had against lions and tigers in WC23 qualifiers, she says few things hurt worse than a rock in the back.

Sonaron

20-07-2005, 03:18

Memorandum

From: Sonaron Pride International Football
To: Druida/Krytenia CoH Hosting Commission

The Pride will participate in the CoH, provided that you give us adequate directions to get there.

Krytenia

20-07-2005, 03:25

Memorandum

From: Sonaron Pride International Football
To: Druida/Krytenia CoH Hosting Commission

The Pride will participate in the CoH, provided that you give us adequate directions to get there.

East to Vilita, then turn left for Druida, right for Krytenia.

Druida

21-07-2005, 13:29

The Daily Druid

DEADLINE PASSES, EIGHT IN
By Liam Gessemschmitthaagen-Po.

The deadline for entries for the fifteenth edition of the Cup of Harmony has passed, and eight nations have officially declared their interest at participating. Bettia, Bipedal Apes, Caprine States, Hockey Canada, Hypocria, Nedalia, Sonaron and Spruitland have all replied to their invitations from the hosts, and with no other applicants, eight will be the number involved.

The draw for the cup will be held later today, whilst the opening ceremony will be held tomorrow at The Hole, Moorestown. The other Druidan stadium to be used will be Griffin Park, Soberity City, meaning that both grounds are in the same area.

The tournament will finish with the final in Krytenia, probably at the Davis Memorial Stadium, where the World Cup 24 final will be held should the Krytenia and Druida (or is it Druida and Krytenia) bid to host be successful.

- - - - - - - - - -

Trevor Belmore: "Hello, and welcome to the draw for the Fifteenth Cup of Harmony. Eight teams are to be split into two groups, one of which will play in Druida, the other in Krytenia. The winner of each group has the advantage of staying in the nation of their designated group, where they will face the second placed team from the other group in the semi-finals, before the winners play each other in Krytenia.

"Here to make the draw are Druida captain and Ousevale Borough midfielder Ricky Mallon to draw the teams to play in Druida, and Krytenia's assistant manager David van Staveren to draw out hte teams in Krytenia..."

And so it goes that the two groups were drawn like this.

Druidan Group
Bipedal Apes
Hockey Canada
Spruitland
Caprine States

Krytenian Group
Nedalia
Sonaron
Hypocria
Bettia

The fixtures (with Krytenian stadia to come) will be played like so.

Matchday One:

Bipedal Apes v Hockey Canada (The Hole, Moorestown)
Spruitland v Caprine States (Griffin Park, Soberity City)

Nedalia v Sonaron
Hypocria v Bettia

Matchday Two:

Bipedal Apes v Spruitland (The Hole, Moorestown)
Hockey Canada v Caprine States (Griffin Park, Soberity City)

Nedalia v Hypocria
Sonaron v Bettia

Matchday Three:

Caprine States v Bipedal Apes (The Hole, Moorestown)
Hockey Canada v Spruitland (Griffin Park, Soberity City)

Bettia v Nedalia
Sonaron v Hypocria

Nedalia

21-07-2005, 14:04

South AO Goes to Football War

The draws for the CoH came out today, and as anticipated, the Lions will face but a short trip north to Krytenia to participate in the tournament. What came as a suprise, however, were the rest of the teams in the Krytenia Group; Hypocria, Bettia, and relative unknown Sonaron. There is no need to remind anyone of rivalry Nedalia enjoys with both its eastern neighbors and their neighbors' eastern neighbors, which should make for a most interesting Group Stage.

The Hypocrian U21 team was the recipient of a extra - time massacre in U21 World Cup 16 as the Lions advanced to the Finals and were crowned champions. However, they were the ones who made sure Nedalia would not repeat as champions in U21 World Cup 17, defeating the Lions 1 - 0 in the Quarter-Finals. However, they have yet to face themselves on the 1st team level, but the U21 matches have made sure that the rivalry is well and alive. As for Sonaron , it would be the first time any Nedalian has heard of the country, yet alone its football team. It should be interesting to see how manager Randy Gamman organizes his squad against this unknown commodity on the international stage. The final team in the group is Bettia, with whom Nedalia enjoy an intense, but friendly, rivalry. The most recent result has come in the AOCAF Cup, where they were also drawn in the same group, with the Lions coming out on top 2 - 0. As it would have it, they were also in the same group as Nedalia in the WC 23 Qualifying group, with both Nedalia's home and away match ending up in a 1 - 1 draw. This rivalry is fierce and intense, but if you ask any Nedalian which country, outside of his native land, that he or she loves the most, the chances are they would name Bettia. With that in mind, the Krytenia Group is going to be a hell of an affair.

Krytenia

21-07-2005, 15:05

GROUP 'K' DETAILS

Krytenian Group
Nedalia
Sonaron
Hypocria
Bettia

Due to the proximity of three of the nations to the southern borders of our country, the group games will take place at Denbigh Park, Ousevale, and Mercia Stadium, Bromham. The semi-final in Krytenia will take place at Oxley Park, Everton City, and the Final itself at the Davis Memorial Stadium.

UPDATED FIXTURES
Matchday One:

Bipedal Apes v Hockey Canada (The Hole, Moorestown)
Spruitland v Caprine States (Griffin Park, Soberity City)

Nedalia v Sonaron (Denbigh Park, Ousevale)
Hypocria v Bettia (Mercia Stadium, Bromham)

Matchday Two:

Bipedal Apes v Spruitland (The Hole, Moorestown)
Hockey Canada v Caprine States (Griffin Park, Soberity City)

Nedalia v Hypocria (Mercia Stadium, Bromham)
Sonaron v Bettia (Denbigh Park, Ousevale)

Matchday Three:

Caprine States v Bipedal Apes (The Hole, Moorestown)
Hockey Canada v Spruitland (Griffin Park, Soberity City)

Bettia v Nedalia (Denbigh Park, Ousevale)
Sonaron v Hypocria (Mercia Stadium, Bromham)

Bettia

21-07-2005, 21:38

We're on our way to Krytenia,
we're on our way to Krytenia,
la-la-la-la OOH,
la-la-la-la OOH!

Bettia... Nedalia... Hypocria... three nations connected by a common motorway.

Of course, thats not the only thing linking these neighbours now, as they have all been drawn together in the group stages of the Cup of Harmony. And what's more, they'll only have to travel to the northwest corner of their little island to play their matches in Krytenia's recently-acquired southern province.

So what about the Arora's opponants? Nedalia are Bettia's neighbours to the west, very dear friends, and their oldest sporting rivals (which given that Bettia haven't been around for that long isn't really very old). After four international matches, honours are even with one win apiece and two draws occuring in the latest round of World Cup qualifiers. Bettia and Nedalia are the top ranked teams in this group, and as always picking a winner between us is always difficult. Of course, the Lions currently have the upper hand after their 2-0 win in AOCAF IX (which was also played in oneof Bettia's neighbours, Cockbill Street).

Follow the road from Kafra to Gabalfa, swing southwards towards Akani Sands before turning eastwards and you'll soon end up in Hypocria, another close neighbour and friend. After finshing third in the Baptism of Fire and an impressive showing in the World Cup qualifiers which only saw them miss out on the finals on the last day, the Hyppos have seen themselves catapaulted up to 56 in the world rankings. The two nations have never met in international competition before, although it will be interesting to see how Hypocria-based striker Judson York fares against his club team-mates, and likewise with Bettia-based Hypocrian midfielder Marcus Baxter.

Making up the group, but certainly not making up the numbers, are Sonoron. Ranked 50 in the world, the Pride found themselves finshing sixth in what what something of a group of death. Certianly not opponants to be taken lightly, this should be a very interesting matchup.

The Football Association of Bettia have announced their squad to compete in the Cup of Harmony and, as with the AOCAF squad, it is a mixture of experienced internationals and new caps with a definate attacking look. But before we look at the squad, here's a quick word from the FAB...

The FAB give their opponents permission to godmod away to their heart's content.
Except for killing any team members. We won't stand for that. Oh no.

Anyway, the team. The probable starting eleven are in green.

Keepers
Amir Bettison - Gabalfa Rovers, age 32, 46 caps
Bryn Ap Arwel - Emcorn, age 24, 0 caps

Defence
Ian Redpath - Akani Sands, age 26, 8 caps
Michael Ryder - Gabalfa City, age 27, 33 caps
Jonathon McKinnon - Patriots Everton (Krytenia), age 20, 19 caps
Amir Bin Da'ud - Gabalfa Rovers, age 28, 43 caps
John Hanson - Akani Sands, age 21, 0 Caps
Said Ismail - Butetown Dragons, age 35, 37 caps

Midfield
Badr Warlow - Gabalfa City, age 21, 3 caps, 1 goal
Aaron Brown - Whitchurch, age 22, 34 caps, 2 goals
Chris Walworth - Canterbury (Liamist States), age 24, 0 Caps
Omar Whistler - Maindy, age 24, 30 caps, 11 goals

Forwards
Bobbie Rosensteihl - Downton, age 23, 14 caps, 4 goals
John Harding - Akani Sands, age 28, 21 caps, 16 goals
Judson York - Pylos Reavers (Hypocria), age 26, 25 caps, 17 goals
Zak Haynes - Akani Sands, age 27, 0 Caps
Husni Teague - Butetown Dragons, age 28, 0 Caps
Joseph Ackermann - Downton, age 24, 0 Caps

Mascot
Tiddles - 21 caps, 2 victims

Bipedal Apes

21-07-2005, 22:38

Bipedal Times

Trans-border newspaper of the RBA

Two-Footers have whole new slew of non-human opponents in Cup of Footie Harmony

By Bonga

Moorestown, Druida - Having experienced harrowing near-death matches against Lions and Tigers in World Cup qualifiers, and with more lions entered in Cup of Footie tournament, it was great relief to Two-Footers to learn yesterday that RBA opponents would include much less-dangerous animals this time around.

First off, Two-Footers will face Canucks of Hockey Canada, whose baseball team recently beat RBA entry to ill-fated Tonissian World Series in exhibition game. Though Bipedaleen statisticians not sure what kind of animal canuck is, some have suggested it may be type of moose and at any rate, it certainly not carnivorous, in all likelihood.

Second match will be against Wabbits of Spruitland. Wabbit is type of simiamorphic bunny, according to Bipedaleen University Professor of Strange Foreign Fauna, Ms. Biddlesmit. Wabbits best known for digging holes in ground, eating carrots, and outmaneuvering bald-headed hunters and long-mustachioed banditoes. Being herbivorous, like apes, wabbits not likely to pose life-ending threat on or off pitch.

Third match features Caprine States Goats. Goats not found in RBA, but far-flung Bipedal Times reporters suggest over wire that goat a type of small cow that engages in head-butting contests to vie for best males. Though it is possible goats and canucks may experience altercations on field with goat horns becoming ensnared in canuck antlers, no threat to apes' life and limb is expected.

Ms. Throckspartle has been putting side through paces in preparation for opening match, with great quantities of footie boots being worn through and great quantities of Druidan beer being consumed. All players seem primed and ready for tourney to begin, with Trinandurnan and male Tribuana excited at promotion to national side after outstanding performances in Trotsgrad friendly.

Hypocria

21-07-2005, 23:15

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers Y
Godmod Scoring Events Y
RP injuries to my players Y
Godmod injuries to my players Y (But nothing life threatening)
Hand out Yellow cards to my players Y
Hand out Red cards to my players Y
Godmod Other Events Y

Cup Of Harmony Squad

The FA have announced Hypocria’s CoH squad that will make the short trip north to Krytenia. With national coach Guylain N’Dumbu-Nsungu in charge of the squad still competing in the AOCAF tournament in Cockbill Street his new assistant Gregory Vidal is thrown straight in at the deep end with a new squad made up of those experienced internationals not involved in the AOCAF and players who have shown good form recently in the Hyper League.

Acting Head Coach - Gregory Vidal
Talented young coach who learnt the trade at Hyper Leagues sides Pylos Reavers and AFC Pylos. Steered AFC Pylos away from relegation last season after being put in caretaker charge following the manager’s sacking. Left the club after being overlooked for the manager post and joined the national team setup shortly afterwards.

Formation - 4-4-2 Diamond

Starting 11

1. Alex Derevko – Hypocrium City, 0 caps.
Hypocrium City’s young keeper has 8 Under-21 caps but has never featured for the senior side because of the good form of Ricardo Kindelan. With Kindelan on AOCAF duty Derevko gets his chance to impress.

2. Chris Golla – Hypocrium City, 24 caps, 1 goal.
Despite his youth Golla has established himself as Hypocria’s first choice right back. He is also a veteran of three Under-21 World Cups and was a key part of the side that finished third at U21 Cup 17.

3. Ricky Poskas – Hypocrium City, 23 caps.
Another of the Hypocrium City contingent. Poskas has alternated between the left of midfield and the left back position since his debut at the Baptism of Fire. Left back is his favoured position and that is where he plays in this competition.

5. Karl Nalepka – Pylos Reavers, 8 caps.
Strong central defender who was a regular in the BoF but lost his place for the World Cup qualifiers. Originally a reserve in the AOCAF squad but was released early to take part in the CoH.

6. Adam Cornell – FC Hypocrium, 0 caps.
Solid defender who has been one of the Hyper league’s most consistent performers this season. His performances have helped his club to second place in the league.

4. Michael Powell – Mercia Bromham (Krytenia), 7 caps, 1 goal.
A neat and tidy midfield playmaker and a model professional who has been handed the captain's armband for this tournament. Like Nalepka, Powell was a reserve in the AOCAF squad before being released early. Could drum up some local support while playing in front of his home fans.

7. Theodore Petras – Pylos Reavers, 21 caps, 1 goal.
A talented winger who has played regularly since the Baptism of Fire.

8. Roberto Braganza – FC Hypocrium, 2 caps.
An attacking midfielder who was named in Hypocria’s first ever national squad but failed to impress. His good form for his club in the Hyper League has lead to his recall to the side.

11. Jamie Hamilton – Dynamo Rasium, 0 caps.
The left of midfield has been a problem position for Hypocria and Dynamo Rasium’s in form winger is the latest to try his luck.

9. Danny West – Sporting Mayo (Spruitland), 16 caps, 7 goals.
Quick and tricky striker who has been in and out of the national side. A clinical finisher who was top scorer in the Spruitland league last season.

10. Alex Liberda – Partizan Drissa, 19 caps, 6 goals.
Talented forward who is the first and only Hypocrian player to have registered an international hattrick. It came in the 5 – 0 rout of Kajiztahn in Drissa during the World Cup qualifiers.

Reserves

12. Craig Goodison – Hypocrium City, 0 caps.
13. Rick Shakes – Kester Town, 0 caps.
14. Peter Costanzo – Bronkstone FC (Nedalia), 7 caps.
15. Horacio Veron – Hypocrium City, 17 caps.
16. Stephen Pope – Pylos Reavers, 0 caps.
17. Paul Dargo – Dynamo Rasium, 0 caps.
18. Sergey Kreska – Partizan Drissa, 0 caps.

Hockey Canada

21-07-2005, 23:28

Hockey Canada in Cup of Harmony

The Hockey Canada Canucks will be coached by U21 Coach Toe Blake to lead the Canucks to a few wins.

Goalkeepers:

90- Kyle Thomas [14] (Cefn Albion)
33- Damien Marx [23] (Irkutsk)
0- Alexi Tarasov [21] (Vancouver FC)

Defenders:

4- Yanic Perrault [21] (Yakutsk)
6- Petr Sylanko [29] (Anadyr)
8- John Cormack [31] (Vancouver FC)
10- Timmy "Timmah!" Johnson [25] ("Special" Care Centre)
12- Kenny McKormick [25] (Revuocnav)
14- Evgeni Zimin [30] (Federal District)
16- Leopold "Butters" Scotch [25] (Irkutsk)
18- Pete Cugno [34] (Federal District)
20- Wladislav Shvlidky [24] (Anadyr)
22- Clyde Dunatek [28] (Yarensk)

Midfielders:

3- Rahul Kulkarni [21] (Irkutsk)
5- Ike Broflovski [15] (No Team Available)
7- Trent Tyvlov [36] (Federal District)
9- Tyrone O'Dyliile [22] (Vancouver FC)

Strikers:

13- Mike Ko [21] (Irkutsk)
29- Steven Vaughn [26] (Yakutsk)

Kits:
http://www.rivercitysports.com/thumbs/sku/83446.jpg http://www.rivercitysports.com/thumbs/sku/84603.jpg http://mod.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pG01-788667th.gif

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers Y
Godmod Scoring Events Y
RP injuries to my players Y
Godmod injuries to my players N
Hand out Yellow cards to my players Y
Hand out Red cards to my players N
Godmod Other Events Y

Team Overviews:

Bipedal Apes: 62nd ranked Bipedal Apes have been a good threat when they were in the World Cup qualifying round. However, this could be different for them against teams that didn't qualify. The two-footers are a mystery to the Canucks besides the fact they have a very good baseball team. Expect a great opening match in Druida in The Hole.

Caprine States: 51st ranked, Hockey Canada will face a higher-ranked team from Caprine States in the second game. They would've been tired from their game against Spruitland when they play the Canucks but anything can happen in this tournement. Caprine States are another completely unknown team to the Canucks but Griffin Park better get ready for the absolute karela Hockey Canada will bring.

Spruitland: 53rd ranked Wabbits will be taking more abuse from the Hockey Canadians for eliminating them from Cherry Cup 13. As if the Under 21 win wasn't enough for the Canucks, a Cup of Harmony win would be the icing on the cake for the 46th ranked Hockey Canadians. Sure they may have a Baptism of Fire trophy, the rookie trophy. But we have the second-best prize in sport: The Under 21 Championship.

Hockey Canada will be looking for the best teams to play against in the Cup of Harmony. The overview of the other teams will be brief:

Nedalia: 48th ranked Nedalia looks like one of the favourites to win the Krytenia Group. Their relentless attack and solid defence make them a good bet to win it all.

Hypocria: 56th ranked Hypocria just might be the dark horse in this Cup of Harmony. Atlantian Oceanian teams like Hockey Canada, Spruitland, Nedalia, Bettia and Sonaron could make this cup in AO hands. Hypocria just might do that.

Bettia: 43rd ranked Bettia is the only team in the tournement higher ranked than Hockey Canada, but that doesn't mean they won't falter. A challenging group for this team could spell victory or disaster, it's just that unpredictable.

Sonaron: The whole freakin' tournement is in Atlantian Oceania, and Sonaron will feel right at home when they play in Krytenia. 50th in the world and happy to finish 6th in their group of death, Sonaron is a good bet to advance through to the next round.

Spruitland

21-07-2005, 23:36

The Spruitland Wabbits are off to Druida for their first Cup of Harmony – and hopefully their last. Coach Cor Bensen assembled largely the same players that represented their nation for World Cup 23 Qualifying, with a few young up-and-comers taking a step up, pushing some of the older players back to the bench, or out of the squad entirely.

Young defenders Fritz Wigmeister and Koenraad Opdebeeck are the most notable additions to the selection. Both youngsters got about ten minutes of playing time in World Cup Qualifying, but an impressive Under-21 tournament saw them given a chance as the central duo for Spruitland’s defense in AOCAF IX.

Despite Spruitland’s early, glamourless elimination from the Atlantian Oceania regional tournament, Opdebeeck and Wigmeister made enough of an impression on Bensen to be selected for the CoH squad, with the latter even making it into the starting line-up.

Some questions have arisen whether it’s a good idea to put the young players in such prominent positions in so many tournaments in such a short time. With Under-21 World Cup 17, AOCAF IX and now the Cup of Harmony all following each other in quick succession, the two players have hardly been home lately. But Cor Bensen dismisses that with a shrug.

“Gimme a break. I don’t hear them complaining, do you? If they wanna be home with mommie, they shouldn’t become a professional football player. Besides, they may be young, but they’re perfectly capable of handling the pressure of important games. Fritz plays in the Bedistan Premier League, and Koenraad in the Vilitan Stellar Division. They play a ‘match of the season’ every week.”

The Wabbits will play their First Round matches in Druida, drawn in a group with WC23 Qualifying surprise Bipedal Apes, Baptism of Fire finalists Caprine States, and Karela wannabees Hockey Canada. Spruitland star striker Dirk Jools commented on the group draw.

“Monkeys, goats and freaks. That’s just friggin’ great. But hell, we’re not in the same group as Hypocria, so that’s something at least.”

The Spruitland Wabbits

Coach: Cor Bensen (47)

1. Simon Briers (23, GK), AFC Avidia, Krytenia – 17 caps, 10 conceded (9 U-21 caps, 10 conceded)
12. Johan Verbeek (27, GK), FC Albertine – 5 caps, 5 conceded
22. Tristan Verelst (19, GK), Makosile United, Vilita – 1 caps, 2 conceded (8 U21 caps, 14 conceded)

2. Marino Vegnol (30, DR), Fonstown Rovers – 18 caps
3. Asa Noegel (26, DL), Sporting Mayo – 17 caps
4. Nico Van Dyck (23, DC), Thiel United – 18 caps (9 U-21 caps)
5. Fritz Wigmeister (21, DC), Bucks Lake Athletic, Bedistan – 5 caps (11 U-21 caps)
15. Laszlo Bosch (29, DC), New Brux FC – 16 caps, 1 goal
16. Fabiano Vos (30, DRC), Sporting Mayo – 6 caps
21. Koenraad Opdebeeck (20, DLC), Turoki Isle, Vilita – 5 caps (11 U-21 caps, 1 goal)

6. Frederic Juneau (31, MC), Sativa Stoners – 19 caps
7. Samson Trouwel (24, AMR), Cranbury United, Druida – 18 caps, 2 goals (4 U-21 caps, 1 goal)
8. Waldo Gelmer (25, AMC), Phraen Palace, Starblaydia – 17 caps
11. Balt Luyckx (28, AML), Avidia City, Krytenia – 18 caps, 1 goal
14. Carlo Nicols (27, AMR), Noordlo Rovers – 7 caps
17. Lee Beck (22, AML), Sativa Stoners – 5 caps (9 U-21 caps, 1 goal)
19. Ziggy Wilander (22, MC), Sativa Stoners – 4 caps (9 U21 caps)
20. Jeff Wong (26, AM/FC), Thiel United – 11 caps, 1 goal

9. Jan Wolters (27, ST), RFC Godiva – 16 caps, 4 goals
10. Dirk Jools (22, ST), FC Albertine – 18 caps, 9 goals (9 U-21 caps, 6 goals)
13. Ben Thorsen (30, ST), Thiel United – 13 caps, 1 goal
18. Edmund Kidder (29, ST), Sporting Mayo – 4 caps
23. Chico Provoost (18, ST), Mavaloiao FC, Vilita – 2 caps (5 U-21 caps, 3 goals)

Team Kit:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/Spruitland/SPRkit.jpg

I Give My Opponents Permission To:

Choose Scorers: Y
GodMod Goalscoring Events: Y

Injure Players: Y
GodMod Injury Events Y

Red Card Players: Y
Yellow Card Players: Y
GodMod Other Events: Y

Hypocria

22-07-2005, 00:13

Local Bragging Rights At Stake

There are some familiar names in Hypocria’s group in the Hyppos first appearance in the Cup of Harmony.

Bettia (43)

Every Hypocrian’s second favourite side ever since hordes of Bettians crossed the border to cheer on the Hyppos against Druida in the World Cup qualifiers. Surprisingly, considering the geography, Hypocria has never faced Bettia in any competition. The Aroras are the highest ranked team in the tournament but can they live up to their position as favourites in what is a very tricky group?

Nedalia (48)

Bettia may be the highest ranked of the sides but the attacking power of the Lions can never be counted out. Nedalia and Hypocria have met twice before, both times in the Under-21 World Cup. Four years ago the Hyppos were hammered in the quarter finals but gained revenge two years ago with a fine win over the reigning champions, also in the quarter final. With one win apiece it will be up to the senior sides to try and break the deadlock.

Sonaron (50)

Something of a mystery. They needed directions to the tournament so they can’t be local but we won’t hold that against them. Ranked 50th in the world Sonaron are clearly no pushovers and could well quietly slip through while the Atlantian nations kick chunks out of each other.

It’s a tough group for a Hypocria side missing the likes of Baxter, Shirko, Blake and Kindelan. There are no obviously weak teams like, say Spruitland for example. Plus the fact that the Hyppos (56) are the lowest ranked team in the group. But we were the lowest ranked side in our AOCAF group and still finished second out of five so . . .

Caprine States

22-07-2005, 07:39

I give my opponenet permission to:
====================
Choose Scorers: Y
GodMod Goalscoring Events: Y

Injure Players: Y (but nothing terribly serious)
GodMod Injury Events: Y

Red Card Players: Y
Yellow Card Players: Y
GodMod Other Events: Y
====================

And remember. They're anthropomorphic goats. With horns. And stuff.

The Confederacy of Caprine States

National Team Roster for Cup of Harmony 15:

#. Name (Age, Position, Club) [Type of goat or human] (caps; goals)

Goalkeepers:

1. Eski (39, GK, Rearward FC) [Angora] (20 caps; 19 conceded)

He's old, he's experienced, and everyone loves him. However, in this Cup of Harmony, Eski's role is diminished yet further, as it's expected that he will split time evenly with Clemente.

20. Eduardo Clemente (24, GK, Kirma-Kirla) [La Mancha] (7 caps; 3 conceded)

The bright star on the horizon of Caprine football, Clemente is expected to take on the full responsibilities of starting after this cup, and many speculate that he will one day wear the C that adorns Johnny Martin's left shoulder.

21. Zhang Xiaopeng (27, GK, Notegia Rangers FC [Krytenia]) [Human] (1 cap)

A backup keeper who is most famous for recently being purchased from FC La Amistad for 28.71 million lira ($3.3 million US) by Krytenian club Notegia Rangers.

Defenders:

2. Michael Harrison (36, FB, Rearward FC) [Human] (63 caps)

Famous among the ladies in the Caprine States for playing Cupid in the hit movie The Day Olympus Fell Like a Huge Sack of Bricks, but famous among the gentlemen as a rock-solid fullback, Harrison has become one of the most popular players on the squad.

12. Michelle Gerard (26, FB/D, Fender) [Nubian] (8 caps)

Eight caps isn't much for the heir to the pretty and talented human's throne, but Michelle is pretty and talented in her own right, and she is almost as good at ending breakaways as Harrison.

17. Erkan Bözböyle (26, DL, Denizspor) [Angora] (18 caps)

Quick like lightning (at least compared to fellow defender Hiram Hansen), this young Angora goat isn't afraid to sacrifice most body parts to stop encroaching players and/or balls.

18. Ivar Nilsen (27, DL, Southern FC) [Norwegian] (6 caps)

He was suspended for two games after punching a man who tricked him into saying "I was born on a pirate ship" with his tongue sticking out, but otherwise a good-natured fellow who is pretty solid when he steps in.

5. Bülent Özgür (30, DC, Denizspor) [Angora] (18 caps; 3 goals)

Dear Mr. Özgür has, despite his miniscule height (don't mention it around him), contributed the best all-around play to the Caprine defense, outclassing even the elder fellows starting with him with his magnificent leaping headers and his goals.

99. Kemal Denktas (23, DC/DR, Fender) [Angora] (7 caps)

A fundamentally unshakable player, Denktas would be great if he could move faster than a limping ostrich. Even still, he makes himself very useful, and is usually on the field if Hansen isn't.

33. Hiram Hansen (32, DR, Maviyolspor) [Danish Landrace] (19 caps)

Stingier than the most miserly uncle, Hansen will spare no opportunity to throw off forwards or prevent them from being particularly effective. A shutdown defender who can remove even the best forwards entirely from the game.

Midfielders:

7. Ricardo Sánchez-Rodriguez (20, ML, Northern FC) [La Mancha] (17 caps; 2 goals)

Angry, loud, scary, and very pierced (fourteen that the public knows about). He's growing up slowly, but he's still got some growing pains, which are most evident when he's red-carded.

15. Gregor Schwartz (29, ML/MC, Northern FC) [Peacock Goat] (6 caps; 1 goal)

Schwartz's job is to see to it that Mr. Sánchez-Rodriguez's growing pains do not effect the team too terribly, and he does this by stepping in and trying to emulate his club teammate's presence. He's not as good obviously, but he's definitely good enough.

13. Johnny Martin (C) (31, MC, Rearward FC) [Kiko] (21 caps; 6 goals)

Having received all 21 caps in the red Caprine kit, Martin is the most-played fellow on the national squad (most of Michael Harrison's caps came before he naturalized to the Confederacy). Proving every day that he deserves to be regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world, Martin has symbolized the rise of the national team. His recently announced intention to play until he breaks has galvanized the squad with an illogical excitement, and Martin is widely expected to continue leading in goals.

0. Bokolursa (44, M, Unsigned) [Goat?] (0 caps)

An enigma. He still hasn't played a single minute, but he sits there on the bench, staring down opposing sides. No one's sure when Coach Akburun will use him in a game, but when it happens, it will definitely be frightening.

23. Ignacio Gómez (30, M, FC La Amistad) [La Mancha] (4 caps)

Martin panned out. Gómez didn't. Gómez has improved since the various downward spirals that he suffered in his 20s, but watching him confirms that the scouts were just wrong ten years ago.

16. Françoise Latour (27, MR, Fender) [French Alpine] (20 caps)

An extremely effective defensive force when she's needed for it, she also provides very good support up front. Feminists in the Confederacy have been clammoring for a goal so that they may drink champagne, but Coach Akburun is quite satisfied with the lady as she is.

4. Anthony Gardener (31, MR, Enerji JK) [Human] (7 caps)

Playing in the isolated mountains of the state of Angora, Gardener is the base from which most rural Angoras imagine the human face (and so they giggle when they're told that there are indeed uglier humans). His offensive play hasn't quite shone in international play thus far, but it will. Maybe.

Forwards:

22. Can Yildirim (21, FL, Rearward FC) [Angora] (19 caps; 4 goals)

The only forward to have scored more than one goal internationally, Can Yildirim is now the unquestioned leader of the front line despite his somewhat questionable play in World Cup Qualifying.

11. Xavier Wilkins (27, FL, Maviyolspor) [Human] (4 caps)

Spot-on spot-kicker. Otherwise he's just sort of unimpressive.

10. Aloysius Tompkinson (29, FC, Enerji JK) [Toggenburg] (18 caps; 1 goal)

Who doesn't love a man named Aloysius? He's been a bit off, but that can be explained away by a nagging ankle injury that hadn't quite gone away until the last match against Krytenia.

66. Kankaldiran (30, FR, Marshall City) [Angora] (16 caps; 1 goal)

His name (which translates awkwardly into "the blood raiser") is an excellent indicator of his exciting play. Or it was. He's been goalless in the past sixteen matches, but he just might wake up soon. (Hopefully.)

8. Freddie Ipson (32, FR, FC La Amistad) [Human] (10 caps)

He's not a goat. But if you were blind or something, you wouldn't be able to tell (yes, he even smells goaty most of the time). He's an example of what patriotism does to humans raised in the Confederacy, but he has been consistently good-but-not-great in international play.

The Formation:

22.Yildirim 66.Kankaldiran

10.Tompkinson

7.Sánchez 13.Martin(C) 16.Latour

17.Bözböyle 5.Özgür 33.Hansen

2.Harrison

1.Eski

Druida

22-07-2005, 16:31

Matchday One
Group D

Bipedal Apes 0 - 2 Hockey Canada
Spruitland 1 - 1 Caprine States

Pl W D L F A Pts GD
Hockey Canada 1 1 0 0 2 0 3 +2
Caprine States 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
Spruitland 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
Bipedal Apes 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 -2

Krytenia

22-07-2005, 16:42

Matchday One
Group K
Nedalia 0 - 2 Sonaron
Hypocria 0 - 1 Bettia

Pl W D L F A Pts GD
SONARON 1 1 0 0 2 0 3 +2
BETTIA 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 +1
HYPOCRIA 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1
NEDALIA 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 -2

Bipedal Apes

22-07-2005, 20:39

Bipedal Times

Trans-border newspaper of the RBA

Cup of Harmony begins disharmoniously for slightly inebriated apes

By Ingbaba

Moorestown, Druida – It was in high spirits and with unreasonable confidence that the Two-Footers faced the Canucks of esteemed human Hockey Canada today in the opening match of the fifteenth Cup of Footie Harmony. Much of the confidence and spirit could be attributed to spirits, as both sides partook in the Druidan ritual of the beer-line before kickoff. Having set up a thirty-meter table of steins of the various brews of the nation, the hosts invited their all-too-willing guests to make their way down the line, sampling the many, many varieties or beer, ale, porter, and bock.

It is possible that the apes partook more heavily than the humans. It is also possible that the Hockey Canadian side is inherently more talented than the Two-Footers. Whatever the root cause, the result on the field was a Canuck defensive line, seven strong, that resisted all attempts by Two-Footer attackers. “Was like kicking ball at giant turtle shell,” striker Angstohm lamented after the match. “Just bounce off them and roll away.”

Trinandurnan, Local 1033 midfielder whose outstanding performance in the Trotsgrad tournament earner her a place on the national side, agreed. “Those mooses not play fair,” she complained. “They got too many defenders. All they do is defend. How you supposed to score when they got forty-five defenders?”

The human offense, small as it may be, was not hampered by any such difficulties. Though the diminutive trio hardly advanced through the Bipedaleen defense at will, Mike, Ike, and Rahul got their chances, and made the most of them, scoring once in each half.

Future opponents the Wabbits and Goats, meanwhile, played to a one-all draw. Asked about the Two-Footers’ chances in the next match, Coach Ms. Throckspartle said, “Wabbits can be tricky. Sometimes they defy gravity, materialize anvils out of nowhere, and burrow through ground like sandworms. Can be very dangerous. I tell players to be careful around them. Unless it turns out they actually humans, like those so-called ‘lions’ and ‘tigers’ in World Cup qualifiers. In that case, I think we have decent chance.”

Sonaron

23-07-2005, 00:52

The Sonaron Pride roster for COH 15:
Goalkeepers:
#[1] Shana Robertson (33 yo, 3 WCQ)
[37] Thomas Waterson (31 yo, 3 WCQ)
[41] James Thompson (24 yo)
[32] Sandy Abelsten (18 yo, emergency reserve)

Strikers:
[2] Robert Salant (23 yo, 1 WCQ)
#[3] Yuki Saton (31 yo, 3 WCQ)
[12] Johann Robertson (29 yo, 3 WCQ)
[13] Julian Peterson (17 yo)

Midfielders:
#[5] Sandra Carter (29 yo, 3 WCQ)
#[6] Thomas Carter (29 yo, 2 WCQ)
#[7] Jill Peterson (17 yo)
[14] Roger Arzlen (29 yo, 3 WCQ)
#[15] Tari Saton (21 yo, 1 WCQ)
[16] Timothy Earton (21 yo, 1 WCQ)

Defenders:
#[4] Theodore Stimson (22 yo, 2 WCQ)
#[7] Jackson Warton (26 yo, 2 WCQ)
#[9] Robbie Farlen (31 yo, 3 WCQ)
#[10] Abigail Blunt (27 yo, 2 WCQ)
#[11] Samuel Porter (30 yo, 3 WCQ)
[17] Manuel Gregor (29 yo, 3 WCQ)
[18] Noah Jackson (29 yo, 3 WCQ)

At the end of qualifying, after another disappointing finish for the Pride, keeper Shana Robinson, striker Yuki Saton, defenders Robbie Farlen, Samuel Porter, and Manuel Gregor, and midfielder Johnson Salven announced their intentions to retire at the end of CoH 16. Team officials hope that these announcements will spur the team on to greatness, desiring to send off some of the original stars with a final burst of glory. Coach Raizor offered some hope for the Pride future, "While it's been a blessing to have players such as Shana and Yuki, Robbie, Samuel, Manuel, and Johnson, we're excited at the talent that's coming up in our youth system as well. Players such as Tari are proof of the strength of our youth system, that they can come in and make an immediate impact in qualifying."

---

Pride Win Opening Match of CoH 15

Pride keeper Shana Robinson recorded a dominating clean-sheet, with four major saves in the closing twenty minutes to preserve a 2-0 victory for the Sonaron national team. Despite much of the Krytenian crowd cheering for the Nedalian side, another AO team, the Sonaron faithful that had managed to find Krytenia before the match did their part to inspire the team. When asked to comment on the victory, Coach Raizor only noted that there were two more games in the group stage.

Spruitland

23-07-2005, 07:38

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/Spruitland/sportsgazette.jpg

Spruitland starts with another draw

Spruitland - Caprine States: 1 – 1

The last time the Wabbits met the Goats was in the final of the Baptism of Fire Cup, before World Cup 23 Qualifying. Perhaps the convincing 2-0 of that match made the Spruitlanders over-confident for this one. Or perhaps they’re just so used to draws by now that they’ve forgotten how to win. But heck, at least it wasn’t a 0-0, so a mystical influence of the Daily Druid’s Karelan Wooden Spoon can pretty much be discarded.

The Spoon had a place of honor on the bench, next to Cor Bensen, but it did not help to ease the coach’s mind during the match. The Wabbits were unable to outclass the goats, and goals from Waldo Gelmer in the first half and Angoran goat Can Yildirim in the second half settled the 1-1 final score, which was a fairly accurate representation of the balance of power on the field.

The draw was not to everyone’s satisfaction, as many Spruitland supporters had expected an easy win. Minister of Sports Olav Nett was also discontent with the result, and he filed a complaint with the Druidan Football Association on the grounds of “goats having an advantage on grass”, demanding the match to be replayed on a different surface. However, knowing the DFA’s reputation, no result is expected of this complaint, at least not in time to make any difference.

So with two points effectively lost, the next match – against Bipedal Apes – becomes extremely important if Spruitland is to avoid another early ticket home. The Wabbits have no experience playing against apes though, so nobody’s quite certain what to expect of the match. Well, nobody except Spruitland striker Dirk Jools, that is, who is as confident as ever.

“If we lose that match, I’ll spend a year’s salary on bananas and donate them to the Bipedaleen Football Association,” Jools scowled. “Let’s get real here, they’re not just monkeys, they’re female monkeys! Everybody knows women shouldn’t be allowed on a football field!”

Other Spruitland players were slightly less optimistic about the outcome of the match, stating they were impressed with the level of football the Bipedaleens produced in World Cup Qualifying, describing it as “not half bad, for apes,” while Jools’ striker-partner Jan Wolters was overheard saying “the one in goal is kinda cute, actually.”

Hockey Canada

23-07-2005, 08:49

Hockey Canada opens with win

A few thousand people packed into The Hole in Moorestown, Druida yesterday to witness the Canucks and Two-Footers fight it out for surpremacy in Group D after the draw between Spruitland and Caprine States. The Canucks walked in expecting the worst, other than the fact they got a chance to have some of their Under 21 players play in the game. To be honest, the Hockey canadians couldn't have looked more comfortable in the first game locking up 2 goals and rock-hard defense.

The game got interesting early in the game when Ike Broflovski scored his first international goal in the 7th minute. Mike Ko tipped the ball back to Rahul Kulkarni and he chipped it over the Two-Footers' heads like so many thrown bananas. Broflovski managed to avoid being offside and broke on in towartds the Bipedal Apes net. A quick fake and the whole net to shoot at sent a nation into ecstacy as the 15 year old put the Hockey Canadians in the lead.

Bipedal Apes did have their chances though- in the 50th minute, Trinandurnan somehow got behind the Hockey Canadian defence. This was nothing new for keeper Kyle Thomas who had faced shots like these all World Cup and U21WC. Trinandurnan took the shot from 11 yards out but the quick reaction save helped the Cefn Albion keeper keep the shutout.

Rahul Kulkarni scored his 40th international goal in the 76th minute on a 2-on-0 with Mike Ko. The two players ran out of the Hockey Canadian end passing back and forth confusing the Two-Footers defence letting the Canucks advance in on goal uncontested. Ko held onto the ball for as long as possible before passing it off to Kulkarni, who was wide open when the Apes' keeper challenged Ko. Kulkarni just tapped the ball in the net to seal the win for the Canucks.

The next game is against Caprine States, a team which tied the Spruitland Bunnies 1-1 for a point each. If Hockey Canada can win this next game and Spruitland and Bipedal Apes draw, the Canucks will secure a spot in the next round.

Pl W D L F A Pts GD
Hockey Canada 1 1 0 0 2 0 3 +2
Caprine States 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
Spruitland 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
Bipedal Apes 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 -2

Canucks are NOT moose! Use your imagination.

Caprine States

23-07-2005, 17:05

From the newspaper Hello Goat!:

Revenge Doesn't Come for the Goats

Spruitland 1
Gelmer 32'

Caprine States 1
Yildirim 59'

The 2-0 loss to Spruitland in the Baptism of Fire finals dealt a considerable blow to the confidence we put in our football team. In fact, some say it might be the chief cause of the short mental depression that came after the BoF's ending despite scientists' having proven that it resulted from a biological agent in the water supply.

Drawing with Spruitland isn't bad, exactly; it's just that after failing to qualify for the World Cup with a disastrous draw against Milchama and a loss against Krytenia, it would have been nice to see this squad pull out a brilliant victory. And with fans in Druida waving signs and shouting the new battle cry of "we're goats and we know we are," it seemed like the fans might just be able to will three points to the Confederacy.

It was not meant to be, however, and Waldo Gelmer of the Wabbits' midfield scorched one into the old onion bag from 25 yards, taking advantage of a tie-up in front of goal that blocked keeper Eski's view. Our Goats have won games before when they were not the first to score, but it hasn't happened often and it definitely didn't feel like it was going to happen after the Gelmer goal, despite all the energy that the Goats put out in finding an equalizer.

Ricardo Sánchez-Rodriguez adequately summed up the frustration and general feeling of the game at halftime when he told a reporter from the Rat Loving Society of Innocent Rainbows that, "I <expletive>ing hate <expletive>ing rodents."

Things got better after the half, however, and after the front line behaved like the front line should and kept creating chances for itself, Can Yildirim put one past the leaping Spruit keeper on a rebound from an Aloysius Tompkinson shot that was too generally blistering to handle.

At that point in the match, everything suddenly seemed to get quite weird. Françoise Latour later described it as, "A sudden twist in the air. Everything sort of slowed down and no one could really get much offense going after that."

Many speculated that it was the work of the Druidan Spoon, awarded to the Spruitlanders because they had something like forty scoreless draws in the course of World Cup Qualifying. Random citizen Kyle Overholtzer dismissed these claims, saying, "Pish posh."

Still, despite Overholtzer's words, many continue to hold that the Spruitlanders' Spoon on Druidan territory sparked the draw, and some have even called for Coach Mustafa Akburun to file a complaint. In response to these calls, Akburun said, "We're not Spruitland," at which point the journalists present sagely nodded their heads and decided not to pursue the matter.

Now it is time for the Goats to look on ahead to Hockey Canada, land of really cold sporting events. Many in the Confederacy remember the aggregate loss suffered by Premier League Champions Rearward FC in the first qualifying round of the Champions League against North Pole United. So are the Hockey Canadians really as good as all that?

Nah.

Hockey Canada

23-07-2005, 17:31

You know they're next!

At 57, Jean Poutine was a well-respected man in the Hockey Canadian Soccer Association. He sat at his desk listening to pre-game lineups on the jumbotron installed in his office. The lineup seemed pretty normal as the list went down...

Thomas
Perrault
Sylanko
Cormack
Johnson
McKormick
Zimin
Scotch
Kulkarni
Broflovski
Ko

And the standings showed Hockey Canada sat in the lead in the group woth 3 points and +2 Goal differential. However, if anyone was in the room with him at the time, they'd have guessed his intelligence is not good. In his hands- intead of holding important documents or roster changes, he held a single sheet of paper that to him seemed as important as any document.

http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/6e2deff4/bc/Yahoo!+Photo+Album/Hey!/rupert%27s.jpg?bf4Pn4CBJZVrIqKb

Jean Poutine is not the brightest executive in Hockey Canada.

Bettia

23-07-2005, 21:08

The Enlightener: 23rd July 2005 - tickle it you wrigglers

Bettia Starve the Hyppos and Break A Duck

Bettia 1 (Harding 36)
Hypocria 0

Don't worry dear readers, the Blessed Realm hasn't gone animal-abuse crazy - it's a well-known fact that we love kittens. The Hyppos in question are of course our dear neighbours to the east Hypocria... but what about this duck? Up until now, Bettia had never won an opening game in any tournament. The tale of woe read:
Pre-WC22 Baptism of Fire - lost to Zanzabarland
World Cup 22 - drew with Starblaydia
AOCAF 8 - lost to Legalese
Cup of Harmony 14 - drew with Kylaii
World Cup 23 - drew with Nedalia
AOCAF 9 - drew with Chacor

But all that changed with this hard-fought victory. The Aroras were led out onto the field by Tiddles, looking resplendant in her tailor-made green and yellow garb, to frenzied cheers from the travelling hordes of Bettia supporters who have made the short journey here.

A statement of attacking intent was made by the management using a 4-2-4 formation, with a team that included Judson York who so regularly bangs in the goals for his Hypocrian club Pylos Reavers. The ever-versatile York played on the left flank of the front four and instantly casued all sorts of problems for the Hyppos defence, which included his team-mate Karl Nalepka. As early as the fourth minute, York broke clear of his marker, cut into the area and whipped a low ball into the centre looking for John Harding. However, Hypocria keeper Alex Derevko spotted the danger and intercepted the cross.

As might be expected with local(ish) derbies, the match was played with plenty of gusto and full-blooded tackles, which resulted in yellow cards for Ian Redpath and Michael Ryder along with Poskas for the opposition.

Bettia went ahead ten minutes from the break. A Hypocrian attack was broken up by the dependable McKinnon who stabbed the ball wide to Amir Bin Da'ud on the left-hand side. Although he was successfully tackled, he soon set up Judson York with one of his trademark long throws whose lofted cross into the area was met by the head of the John Harding. The lanky Akani Sands striker buried his header into the bottom corner, giving the keeper no chance.

The Aroras almost made it two stright away as they took advantage of the shell-shocked Hypocrians. Debutant Husni Teague intercepted a wayward backpass from Braganza and tried a cheeky lob from all of 40 yards. Derevko was alert to this and caught the ball easily.

Manager Munir At-Tariq substituted Ian Redpath, who had picked up a slight knock to the ankle, for the experienced Said Ismail at half-time. The veteran full-back rolled back the years, doing a marvellous job of marshalling the defence against the wave after wave of Hypocrian attack.

Danny West had an excellent chance to even things up for the Hyppos on 64 minutes when he was put through on goal by a clever ball from debutant Jamie Hamilton. However, it was Ismail who came to the rescue, taking the ball from him as he wound up to shoot.

It was West again ten minutes later with another chance as he latched onto a low cross fom the right wing. Unfortunately for him, he was unable to keep his effort down, and the ball sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.

Bettia's last chance to double their advantage came five minutes from time as Rosensteihl was fouled 20 yards in front of goal. Badr Warlow bent a wicked outswinging shot inches wide of the post, much to the relief of Derevko who was left stranded.

And so Bettia go into their next game against Sonoron thankful for the three points, and happy they have at last broken their rather unwelcome hoodoo. Can they build on this excellent start?

Bettia Squad vs Hypocria (4-2-4)

1. Amir Bettison
3. Ian Redpath (sub 45 mins: 8. Said Ismail)
4. Michael Ryder
5. Jonathon McKinnon
6. Amir Bin Da'ud
9. Badr Warlow
12. Omar Whistler
13. Bobbie Rosensteihl
14. John Harding
15. Judson York
17. Husni Teague

Unused Substitutes
2. Bryn Ap Arwel
7. John Hanson
10. Aaron Brown
11. Chris Walworth
16. Zak Haynes
18. Joseph Ackermann

Druida

24-07-2005, 20:26

Just a reminder, goalless draws are still illegal in international matches in Druida. Fortunately, there haven't been any as yet, but we've come close...

Group D
Matchday 2

Bipedal Apes 1 - 3 Spruitland
Hockey Canada 1 - 0 Caprine States

Pl W D L F A Pts GD
Hockey Canada 2 2 0 0 3 0 6 +3
Spruitland 2 1 1 0 4 2 4 +2
Caprine States 2 0 1 1 1 2 1 -1
Bipedal Apes 2 0 0 2 1 5 0 -4

Krytenia

25-07-2005, 03:15

Matchday Two
Group K

Nedalia 2 - 1 Hypocria
Sonaron 1 - 2 Bettia

Pl W D L F A Pts GD
BETTIA 2 2 0 0 3 1 6 +2
SONARON 2 1 0 1 3 2 3 +1
NEDALIA 2 1 0 1 0 2 3 -1
HYPOCRIA 2 0 0 2 0 1 0 -2

Bettia

25-07-2005, 16:16

The Enlightener: 25th July 2005 - up the stairs, turn right, and its the second door on the left

Aroras Dent Sonaron's Pride

Bettia 2 (York 21, Harding 25)
Sonaron 1 (Peterson 86)

The Aroras notched up their second win in the Cup of Harmony with a thrilling display against fancied group rivals Sonaron. They largely kept faith with the squad that defeated Hypocria on the opening day, but rested Ian Redpath as a precautionary measure after he picked up a slight knock to the ankle. Veteran defender Said Ismail replaced him in the centre of the back line.

The Aroras started brightly as the Pride seemed to struglle against the unorthodox and experimental 4-2-4 formation employed by Bettia. As in the previous game, Judson York seemed to revel in his left-striker role and caused all manner of problems for the right-back given the unenviable task of marking him.

Bettia's first chance came on seven minutes. A quickly taken free-kick by Badr Warlow from just inside the Sonaron half found Bobby Rosensteihl in space on the right flank. A quick one-two with Husni Teague followed by a snap shot from the corner of the penalty area forced Shana Robertson into making a smart save.

The Aroras went ahead after 21 minutes thanks to some good play down the left by Amir Bin Da'ud. A short pass found Omar Whistler in the centre who then sent a carefully threaded ball through a rather static back five for Judson York to latch onto. The Pylos Reavers striker made no mistake, neatly sidestepping Robertson before walking the ball into an empty net to spark scenes of near-delerium amoungst the thousands of Bettian fans.

Just to show that there's some life in the old legs yet, Said Ismail then proceeded to set up the second just four minutes later. A smart run from deep inside his own half saw the Butetown centre-back confronted by three defenders some thirty yards from goal. However, he found Badr Warlow making a run to his right, whose lofted cross was met with some force by the head of John Harding to score his second goal of the tournament.

Badr Warlow almost made it three on the stroke of half-time, but his powerfully-struck free-kick sailed the wrong side of the far post.

The second half was much more of an even affair as Sonaron slowly but surely clawed their way back into the game. Lone striker Yuki Saton came close on 56 minutes when she spotted Amir Bettison off his line. However, her attempted lob was easily tipped over by the experienced Bettian keeper.

Bettia hit back straight away as Judson York made another of his probing runs. Although momentarily forced into the corner thanks to some close attention by Robbie Farlen and Abigail Blunt, he somehow snuck his way out and chipped the ball into the area searching for Harding. Luckily for the Pride, Robertson beat the Bettia man to it, punching the ball clear from danger.

Sensing the growing threat from their opponents, manager Munir At-Tariq rang the changes by bringing on two debutants, defender John Hanson and midfielder Chris Walworth, changing to a more defensive 5-3-2 formation.

Initially this seemed to work as the fresh back five dealt with a wave of Sonaron attacks. However, the Pride pulled a goal back four minutes from time thanks to some enterprising work from young mdifielder Jill Peterson. Sonaron had been awarded a free-kick after Saton had been fouled on the edge of the area. As Amir Bettison organised a five-man wall, Peterson quickly took the kick which floated past a stranded Bettison, bringing the Pride back into the game and ensuring that the next four minutes were nervous ones indeed for any Bettian watching this game.

Sonaron looked to press home their advantage, but Bettia were able to hold on to claim all three points. This win leaves Bettia three points clear at the top of Group K, and they now just need a single point to ensure they qualify in first place. However, that will be easier said than done given the calibre of their next opponants Nedalia.

Bettia Squad vs Sonaron (4-2-4)

1. Amir Bettison
8. Said Ismail
4. Michael Ryder
5. Jonathon McKinnon
6. Amir Bin Da'ud
9. Badr Warlow
12. Omar Whistler
13. Bobbie Rosensteihl (sub 75 mins: 7. John Hanson)
14. John Harding
15. Judson York
17. Husni Teague (sub 75 mins: 11. Chris Walworth)

Unused Substitutes
2. Bryn Ap Arwel
3. Ian Redpath
10. Aaron Brown
16. Zak Haynes
18. Joseph Ackermann

Hypocria

26-07-2005, 00:04

Down But Not Quite Out

It has not been an easy few days for Hypocria’s Cup of Harmony squad. They have watched from a distance as another Hypocrian squad has been in wonderful form, a couple of hundred miles east, in the AOCAF tournament in Cockbill Street. That good form has left the CoH players wondering if they will now be playing second fiddle in the national team once World Cup qualifiers start. Perhaps that is what weighed on the minds of the players as they slumped to defeat in their opening two games.

Hypocria 0 – 1 Bettia

It was a match between two pretty even sides but the Aroras always looked the more dangerous thanks to their adventurous use of a front four. They looked confident too, shown by Teague’s attempted lob from fully forty yards out.

Followers of the Hyper League know exactly how dangerous a player Judson York can be and the Pylos Reavers forward nearly set up the opener inside four minutes. When the Bettian goal did arrive it came as no surprise that York was involved. The forward swung in a cross, onto the head of Harding and the big striker’s downward header was placed perfectly into the bottom corner.

The Hyppo’s best chances fell to Danny West. Hamilton released the striker through the middle but West was denied a shooting chance by a beautifully timed saving tackle from the excellent Ismail. Ten minutes later West picked up Petras’ ball from the right but shot harmlessly over.

Hypocria 1 – 2 Nedalia
Liberda

The record at Under-21 level between Nedalia and Hypocria is one win a piece but in the first meeting between the senior sides it was the Lions who emerged on top.

When the Lions are in full flow there are few teams that can match them and certainly the Hypocrian defence had no answer as Nedalia took the lead inside five minutes. A second goal followed twenty minutes later to put the Lions firmly in control.

The Hyppos improved in the second half and both West and Braganza had efforts well saved. With fifteen minutes to go Powell set up Liberda and the Partizan Drissa striker’s low drive nestled inside the far post to give the Hyppos a slight glimmer of hope but that was as good as it would get.

Bettia followed up their opening day victory with a second win, this time over Sonaron. The Pride had previously registered their first win in the tournament against Nedalia on matchday 1. Those results leave the table looking something like this.

Pl W D L F A Pts GD
BETTIA 2 2 0 0 3 1 6 +2
SONARON 2 1 0 1 3 2 3 +1
NEDALIA 2 1 0 1 0 2 3 -1
HYPOCRIA 2 0 0 2 0 1 0 -2

Hypocria may have started poorly but we’re not out of it yet. A good result against Sonaron coupled with a Bettian win in their derby with Nedalia could yet see the Hyppos sneak through in second place.

Nedalia

26-07-2005, 01:24

The Nedalia Lions

Lions Defeat Hypocria, Await Arora Rematch

After a devastating Matchday One defeat to Sonaron, many ruled the Lions out of the CoH competition, simply on the strength of the group they were drawn in. Going into the regional derby match against close friends Hypocria, Nedalians packed the stadium but only to show their solidarity with both national teams. The result that came after 90 minutes has put the hope back into Nedalia's heart and has presented them with an opportunity to qualify into the knockout stage.

Hypocria played well throughout, but as their media reported, once the Lions get rolling, its pretty rare they dont make a prey out of their opponents. That was the case in Matchday Two as they defeated Hypocria 2 - 1, but anyone who thought that this was easy 3 points for the Lions is sadly mistaken. Infact, it was GK superstar Derrell Lynch who kept the Lions from losing in the 2nd half, when Hypocria turned up the pressure and started moving forward in numbers.

The 1st half, however, was another story. The Lions started out the match in dominating fashion, playing the brand of Nedalian football the world has grown to love and hate at the same time. It took all but 5 minutes through Andrew Blod, who was starting in place of the injured Chris Yamtech. The pressure on the Hypocrian goal, however, did not let up, and in the 25th minute, Man of the Match Blod nailed in his second goal of the game, and Nedalia's second, by way of a blistering shot taken just outside the box.

The end result has now put Nedalia in 3rd place, tied on points with Sonaron. Matchday Three is going to bring two matches that Nedalians are expected to fill in equal numbers; against our biggest rivals, Bettia, and the match our equally intense rivals, Hypocria, are involved in against Sonaron. A Hypocria win or draw, coupled with a Nedalian win (or in case of a Hypocrian win, a draw is sufficient) will see the Lions through. Only one thing can be said here:

LETS GO LIONS!

LETS GO HYPPOS!

Bipedal Apes

26-07-2005, 04:29

Bipedal Times
Trans-border newspaper of the RBA

Cwazy Wabbits Ewiminate Two-Footers

By Wuzzacki

Moorstown, Druida - Ack! How could it happen? Two-Footers got eliminated by Spwuitwand Wabbtis yesterday in big Trans-border footie match in Dwuida. What a sowwy sight! Made me wretch and vomit all over the Spwuitwander weporter in the seat in fwont of me.

Match stawted normally enough. Captain Twinandurnan called heads on cointoss and won, giving Two-Footers fiwst possession. After Angstohm’s kickoff, apes moved ball into Wabbit territory and for sevewal minutes wegular footie was pwayed by all. Some kicking by apes, some kicking by wabbits, and on ten minutes, shot by Twibuana saved by keeper Bwiars. Then things got weiwd.

Fiwst off, cwazy Wabbit stwiker Wolters stuck cawwot in Hooboy’s shotgun, causing eviw viowent weapon to expwode in poor ape’s face, turning it black. Well, it alweady black, but making it covewed in bwack powder as well. Then Wolters dove into hole in gwound, weaving Two-Footer defendews standing awound scwatching heads. Duwing this distwaction, Wolters popped up again behind defensive wine, and kicked ball into goal. Swift-thinking official called Wolters for offsides, giving possession back to Two-Footers. However, psychowogical damage was done. Once apes had seen stwange eviw magical powers of Wabbtis, they could not play pwoper footie.

Wise Ms. Throckspawtle benched Hooboy, for defender was cwearwy shaken by incident. Nevew before had Hooboy even held a shotgun, let alone had one expwode in her hands due to cwazy cawwot-stuffing. In fact, Hooboy was not even sure where shotgun had come fwom. Such is power of Wabbits.

With Looloo in as repwacement, apes did their best to battle Wabbits, but they did so tentativewy and without chutzpah. Wabbit quickwy wegained possession and with defenders on defensive, afwaid of what anticks they might not be subjected to, Wabbit stwikers had easy time of it. By seventeen minutes, Jools scored fiwst goal of night, kicking ball awound Looloo, in arc over Wampoonder’s head, in circle awound Spotwockle, into goal. Apes mostly stood awound dumbfounded at strange course-changes of ball. Wabbits up, one-nil.

Ms. Throckspawtle screamed and yelled and jumped up and down making fire come out of nose, inspiwing playews to attack with gweater intensity. Angstohm kicked off again, and apes twied hawd to make good attack, but aftew Wigmeister materialized banana peel out of nowhere to send Barsoom flying through air and over stands, into pawking lot, apes pwetty much just stood awound, parawyzed by fear. Wabbits marched awound with ball while apes stood idly by, allowing two more easy goals by halftime.

For second half, Two-Footers pwayed mostwy defensive awignment, twying to pwevent further scoring by massing awound goal much as Canucks had in opening match. Stwategy worked, except that already being behind by thwee, pweventing more score didn’t help much. Two-Footers scowed onwy goal of match when Trouwel was cawded for materializing anvil behind red cape directly in fwont of charging Barsoom. After unfowtunate ape stwiker recovered, she took fwee kick, which inexplicably rolled around and around and around fiewd before finding way into Wabbit goal.

No one twuly understood what happened on pitch, but final scowe was cwear enough: Wabbits 3, Two-Footers 1. This eliminates RBA from Cup of Harmonic Footie contention. Final match against Capwine States is upcoming.

Spruitland

26-07-2005, 08:58

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/Spruitland/sportsgazette.jpg

One Wabbit-foot in Semis, Two-Footers sent packing

Bipedal Apes – Spruitland: 1 – 3

With a relatively easy win, the Spruitland Wabbits take a vital three points to stay in contention for a spot in the Semi Finals. Goals by Jools, Juneau and Wolters settled the match before half time, and the late goal by Ape striker Barsoom – from a free kick with lots of effect – was no more than a consolation.

Much was expected of the match, but despite the four goals it was a fairly boring affair, without any real highlights. The most animated moment – from this reporter’s point of view – was getting spewed upon by the Ape reporter in the seat behind me. The main lesson to be learned here: never give an Ape hallucinogenic mushrooms. And also: Ape vomit tastes a bit like a banana daquiri that has been left in the sun for a week.

Mostly happy faces in the Spruitland dressing room, except for striker Jan Wolters, who was sobbing alone in a corner, despite scoring a goal. Apparently Wolters did not get the desired response from Bipedal Apes goalkeeper Spotrockle when he asked her out on a date after the match.

“She ran away screaming,” Wolters sniveled. “I know I’m not a looker, but I never got that reaction before.”

Hopefully the big striker’s advances did not traumatize Ms. Spotrockle too severely, because the Wabbits might need to count on her to advance to the next round. Despite the three point lead over Caprine States, a loss against Hockey Canada on the final matchday is not unimaginable, so a high-scoring win against the Apes could still see the goats edge through.

“That won’t happen,” Jan Wolters reassured with a sad smile. “Spottie’s a very talented goalkeeper. Very nimble too. She’ll do fine.”

Hockey Canada

26-07-2005, 21:05

Hockey Canada eats Wabbit Stew before next game against Spruitland

It was close to a draw heading into the 85th minute but the Canucks managed to pull off a goal to salvage the 3 points needed. Little did Hockey Canada know that on another field in Druida, Spruitland was beating Bipedal Apes for their potential spot in the next round to seal a spot in the semis for Hockey Canada. Griffin Park had never seen so many Hockey Canadian fans who flocked down from the Ice Shelf in Atlantian Oceania to watch the deciding match in Soberity City.

Caprine States surprised both teams and fans when they started off the game on the defensive. Catching the Hockey Canadians off-guard, the Canucks slowly moved their way into the Goats' half to press for a goal. Mike Ko was the first to take the bait when he took possession of the ball just outside the 18-yard box and shot just a few feet inside the box. A beautiful curve to the shot was just a little too much too the right as it pinged off the post and out of harm's way.

Hockey Canada got their next majoy scoring opportunity in the 39th minute when the Canucks were awarded an indirect free kick near the far-left corner of the 18-yard box. Petr Srylanko came all the way up from defence to take the lob-shot cross. The cross was perfect for forwards and midfielders and Broflovski got his head near the ball. The wind seemed to blow a little harder than expected for Broflovski as the ball deflected off his arm and into the net. The referee immediately blew off the goal causing some protest in the crowd.

The protesting Hockey Canadian crowd boiled over at halftime when several crazed, drunken fans ran out onto the field to collect the ball and kick it into the Caprine States' net. Several zookeepers were called in to stop the "festivities" when it took 17 tranquilizer darts to take down a 319 pound man. They were all captured and released into the wild later on in the game.

When the game did start again, it was Rahul Kulkarni who got the game going for the Canucks. A few good rushes with no success made coach Toe Blake nervous about Kulkarni's play. The unthinkable happened in the 64th mintue when Blake actually substituted Kulkarni for Trent Tyvlov, who was playing in his first international agme at age 36.

Tyvlov made a lasting impression in the 88th minute when all players including keeper Kyle Thomas were pulled up for the win. Broflovski pass the ball all the way back to Thomas who managed a lob shot over to Tyvlov. Tyvlov got his head barely on the ball but enough to redirect the little sphere into the back of the Caprine States' net to give Hockey Canada the 3 points and a spot in the next round.

Now that Hockey Canada will play Spruitland and try for a perfect 3-0-0 record in the round-robin, anything can happen.

Pl W D L F A Pts GD
Hockey Canada 2 2 0 0 3 0 6 +3
Spruitland 2 1 1 0 4 2 4 +2
Caprine States 2 0 1 1 1 2 1 -1
Bipedal Apes 2 0 0 2 1 5 0 -4

Krytenia

26-07-2005, 23:10

Matchday Three
Group K

Bettia 0 - 3 Nedalia
Sonaron 0 - 0 Hypocria

Pl W D L F A Pts GD
NEDALIA 3 2 0 1 4 2 6 +2
BETTIA 3 2 0 1 3 4 6 -1
SONARON 3 1 1 1 3 2 4 +1
HYPOCRIA 3 0 1 2 0 1 1 -2

SEMI FINALS:
Nedalia v Second Gp D (Oxley Park, Krytenia)
Winner Gp D v Bettia (Druida, venue TBC)

Druida

27-07-2005, 04:02

Matchday three
Group D

Caprine States 2 - 2 Bipedal Apes
Hockey Canada 1 - 0 Spruitland

Pl W D L F A Pts GD
Hockey Canada 3 3 0 0 4 0 9 +4
Spruitland 3 1 1 1 4 3 4 +1
Caprine States 3 0 2 1 3 4 2 -1
Bipedal Apes 3 0 1 2 3 7 1 -4

SEMI FINALS:
Nedalia v Spruitland (Oxley Park, Krytenia)
Hockey Canada v Bettia (The Hole, Druida)

Hypocria

27-07-2005, 10:45

Going Home

Hypocria went into the final Cup of Harmony group game needing a win over Sonaron and a Bettian win against Nedalia in the other match to have any hope of reaching the semi finals. As neither result happened the team is now on the plane home.

Hypocria 0 – 0 Sonaron

It was the kind of game that, had it been played in Druida, could have got both sets of players locked up. Sonaron had the better of it and both Saton and Carter came close in the first half. The Hyppos in reply offered very little although West’s snapshot caused Robertson in the Pride’s goal a moment of worry.

The second half was eerily similar to the first with both defences firmly on top. Yuki Saton again had Sonaron’s best chance of the half but Derevko was equal to it. At the other end Roberto Braganza released Liberda through the centre but the striker pulled his shot horribly wide.

In the other match Nedalia claimed top spot in the group with an excellent 3 – 0 victory over the Aroras of Bettia, who qualify in second place.

Pl W D L F A Pts GD
NEDALIA 3 2 0 1 4 2 6 +2
BETTIA 3 2 0 1 3 4 6 -1
SONARON 3 1 1 1 3 2 4 +1
HYPOCRIA 3 0 1 2 1 3 1 -2

Nedalia now face the always tricky Spruitland Wabbits in the semis while Bettia take on the in form Hockey Canada.

The Hypocria players are heading home to join their clubs for the remaining Hyper League fixtures and to get some rest, after what has been a busy time for the national team. The fans who made the journey to Krytenia will probably hang around to lend their support to neighbours Bettia who, despite their 1 – 0 over the Hyppos, remain every Hypocrian’s second favourite team.

Bettia

27-07-2005, 12:32

The Enlightener: 27th July 2005 - blimey, what a stroke of luck
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/bettia/FAB.jpg

Thank The Hyppos!

Bettia 0
Nedalia 3 (Mattan 13 87, Hardman 75)

Bettia crashed to a controversial 3-0 defeat against their close western neighbours Nedalia, but still managed to scramble their way into the Cup of Harmony semi-finals. They owe a huge favour to their eastern neighbours Hypocria who held Sonaron to a goalless draw (good thing that match wasn't held in Druida), thus ensuring that Bettia finish second in their group and advance to the next round.

After two stunning victories so far, confidence was high in the Bettian camp and the Aroras were looking to make it three wins out of three before ultimately romping to Cup of Harmony glory. Unfortunately, their over-confidence turned around and slapped them in the face as they were humbled by an awesome Lions squad who obviously hadn't bothered to read our script.

Manager Munir At-Tariq retained the attacking 4-2-4 formation which had earlier seen off Hypocria and Sonaron, welcoming back Ian Redpath into the centre of defence. A first cap was handed out to Zak Haynes, partnering his Akani Sands team-mate John Harding in the middle of the front four.

The Lions set out their stall early on, with Akani Sands midfielder Trent Hardman taking complete control of midfield almost single-handedly. It came as no suprise when Hardman set up Nedalia's first goal on thirteen minutes, bursting through a couple of half-hearted tackles before setting Mattan up to bury the ball into the net from ten yards.

That was the cue for some frantic Bettian attacks as the Aroras sought a quick reply. Haynes and Harding linked up well in the centre on 24 minutes, but Haynes' speculative shot was well saved by Lynch.

Three minutes later, Judson York was crudely upended by Khadra earning the youngster a yellow card for his troubles. Badr Warlow stepped up to take a thundering free-kick which crashed against the inside of the post and flew away to safety, much to the dismay of the Gabalfa City man.

The real talking point of the game, and one which spoiled an otherwise exciting match, came shortly after the break. Straight from the kick-off, Lions midfielder Kenneth slid the ball forward hoping to find Nene breaking into the area. Bettian goalkeeper Amir Bettison was alert to this danger and gathered the ball on the edge of his area. However, the referee harshly adjudged him to have handled the ball outside the penalty area, and promptly showed the Aroras shot stopper a straight red card.

After watching video replays, it soon became apparent to the Bettian management that Bettison was only just inside his area and not guilty of deliberate handball. Manager Munir At-Tariq told the enlightener "I appreciate that the referee often has to make snap decisions on the spur of the moment, but I don't understand how he could've given such a crucial decision in the way he did."

"He didn't consult the linesman, the young lad Nene was right on top of the incident - he had the best view out of all of us - and he wasn't expecting any sort of free kick, none of the other Nedalians appealed for the foul, and even the Nedalian manager was somewhat bemused at that red card. I hope it was just a simple mistake on the referee's part, and there was nothing more sinister at hand out there."

"Suffice to say, we will not be handing out our usual disciplinary red card fines to Amir for this incident, although he will be suspended for the next game - unfortunately, that matter's out of our hands."

This incident forced a major reshuffle. Emcorn goalkeeper Bryn Ap Arwel gained his first cap in place of Zak Haynes, John Hanson replaced Bobby Rosensteihl, and Chris Walworth came on for John Harding to reinforce the midfield. This left Judson York as the lone striker in a 5-3-1 formation, and although he worked hard to make an impression, he was badly outnumbered and the Nedalian defence were able to easly counter any threat.

To their credit, Bettia fought hard, but they quickly tired as the one-man deficit began to take it's toll. The Lions doubled their advantage on 76 minutes when man-of-the-match Trent Hardman sidefooted home following a sparkling run by Nene, and Mattan completed the rout three minutes from time, connecting with Nedalia's eighth corner of the game.

As far as the Bettia-Nedalia head-to-head record is concerned, the Lions now lead the way with two victories. Bettia have just the one win, along with two draws gained during the World Cup qualifiers.

This defeat coupled with results elsewhere leaves Bettia facing highly-rated team Hockey Canada in the semi-finals, and Bettia will have to pull their socks up if they are to defeat their next opponants. If they get through that, they face an eagerly anticipated local derby against either today's opponents Nedalia or Group D runners-up Spruitland in the final.

One thing's for sure though - the Cup of Harmony is remaining in Atlantian Oceania for another season.

Bettia Squad vs Nedalia (4-2-4)

1. Amir Bettison (sent off: 46 mins)
3. Ian Redpath
4. Michael Ryder
5. Jonathon McKinnon
6. Amir Bin Da'ud
9. Badr Warlow
12. Omar Whistler
13. Bobby Rosensteihl (sub. 46 mins: 7. John Hanson)
14. John Harding (sub 46 mins: 11. Chris Walworth)
15. Judson York
16. Zak Haynes (sub 46 mins: 2. Bryn Ap Arwel)

Unused Substitutes
8. Said Ismail
10. Aaron Brown
17. Husni Teague
18. Joseph Ackermann

Nadderud

27-07-2005, 12:44

Damn...i joined too late to compete :(

Nedalia

27-07-2005, 13:57

The Nedalia Lions

Lions Feed on Aroras; Looking to Make Prey Out of Wabbits

"It is understandable that a referee is never going to get all the desicions right, especially the controversial ones. The red card, however, was unwarranted. No matter what the desicion was, it did not deserve that harsh a punishment. I'm disappointed that we had to battle the Bettians down 10 men, its not the kind of thing my team or I are about."

Those were the comments from manager Randy Gamman, who was more than a little unhappy about the controversial call that went in Nedalia's favor in their 3-0 victory over their eastern neighbors. That result ended the so-called "South Atlantian War Group" battles with the Lions on top with 6 points thanks to both their victories over their South Atlantian counterparts.

As reported by the Bettian media, the match was generally controlled by the Lions, with Khadra and Zenith controlling the back as good as anyone could have hoped. Couple that with Derrell Lynch's solid play between the posts, it presented the famous Nedalian attacking unit to pressure with force and flair. Nene, who also spoke of disappointment over the call which he claimed was harsh, was absolutely spectacular going forward, creating chances, and goals, for both Mattan and MotM Trent Hardman. The latter was, if possible, even more spectacular, as even the Bettian media reported their awe at the defensive midfielder's ability. The Akani Sands player delivered a perfect performance, whether through his tackles or his passes, and played a big part in the 3-0 victory.

So now the Lions face another South Atlantian counterpart; Spruitland. No one knows which team Spruitland will show up with; the team that can't score...or the team that will absolutely rip you apart. The Lions answer is unconventional, as Randy Gamman said:

"I hope Spruitland come out playing their best game, because I want no excuses. We intend to win this thing, and we're going to go through Spruitland to do it. Which, I hope, is unfortunate news for them."

Bettia

28-07-2005, 14:50

"Right, so here we are in sunny Druida. Before we start our team talk, I just wan to make one thing absolutely clear... do not, I repeat do NOT drink the water. There's a whole wave of drunkedness round here, and we've got no idea what they've put in there. Seriously, it will get you bladdered. Now then lads, any thoughts on how we're going to tackle Hockey Canada?"

"Well, I reckon we'll do 'em for speed, easy. They'll be pretty slow movers, what with all them skates and padding and stuff."

"No John, they'll be dressed up for playing football, just like us."

"Oh. I just thought, what with them being from Hockey Canada..."

"Well you thought wrong. Any sensible thoughts?"

"Hmmm... here's a thought. They're from up north where it's all cold and icy, right?"

"Right."

"Which means they might not be suited to the warm-ish, slightly damp climate of Druida... well, not as much as us anyway."

"Ah, so what you're saying is because they're from the arctic wastelands up north, they'll wilt in what will seem to them as scorching summer heat, but to us it will just be like any other day. Brilliant. Let's just hope it's nice and warm for our game then. What's the weather forecast?"

"Hold on, I'll just switch on the telly..."

Yesh the weathersh a bit crap. 'Scept for thish bit up yur, s'all nice and shunny like. Down 'ere itsh all ab bieryutighblerr. Ooh me 'ead. Musht've had a bad'un...'ere... whatha 'ell you lookin' at? C'mon then you panshies, I'll 'ave you all! C'mon then! 'kin ponces, the lot o'yers. Aaah no, yur alright really. Yur me besht friend ye are pal. You an' me, we's good, right pal? **CRASH**

"Well?"

"No good boss, the weatherman's pissed an' all."

Spruitland

29-07-2005, 02:33

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/Spruitland/sportsgazette.jpg

Stumble into Semi Final derby

Hockey Canada – Spruitland: 1 – 0

Not unexpectedly, the Spruitland Wabbits lost their third group match and had to count on the Bipedal Apes to keep Caprine States in check, which – fortunately – they managed. The Apes tied the goats two all, so Spruitland’s measly four points are enough to earn them a place in the Cup of Harmony Semi Final. Hockey Canada won the match 1-0, goal scored by someone-or-other, but it's probably best not to dwell on that too much, and look ahead instead.

Spruitland will play their semi final match in Krytenia, against northern neighbours Nedalia, who snatched the top spot in their group on the final matchday by defeating other northern neighbours Bettia, at the cost of north-eastern neighbours Hypocria and not-sure-where-they’re-from Sonaron. Along with Spruitland, very-far-northern neighbours Hockey Canada made it to the semi finals as well, turning the final matches of Cup of Harmony 15 into a bit of a derby-fest, kinda.

Spruitland’s chances against Nedalia are hard to predict. On a good day, the Wabbits should have no problem making the Lions chase their own tail. Good days, however, have been hard to come by lately. Regardless, the Nedalians certainly seem motivated, claiming they want to win the Cup and will “go through Spruitland to do it,” begging the Wabbits to play their best game to avoid excuses.

“I don’t much care for their insinuations!” Spruitland coach Cor Bensen commented. “We never make excuses for a lost game, and if we do, they’re perfectly valid, and if not, they could have been valid with just a tiny bit of imagination! How dare they say such a thing! Maybe we’ll just play crappy on purpose, just to spite them. That’ll show them!”

Krytenia

29-07-2005, 04:17

SEMI-FINAL MATCH
at Oxley Park, Krytenia

NEDALIA - 2
SPRUITLAND - 1

Druida

29-07-2005, 16:39

THE OTHER SEMI-FINAL MATCH
at The Hole, Moorestown, Druida

Hockey Canada 2-2 Bettia
Hockey Canada 4-3 Bettia (after extra time)

Nedalia

30-07-2005, 07:12

The Nedalia Lions

Controversy in Krytenia; Did Wabbits Lose Game to Prove a Point?

The talk coming out of Krytenia is that the Spruitland Wabbits conceded their second goal, and the Nedalian winner, in the 88th minute to prove a point to Nedalian manager, Randy Gamman. No hard evidence has been presented on the matter, but the end result has sent the Lions to the CoH Finals against another AO team, Hockey Canada, who defeated the eastern neighbors in extra time.

The two Nedalian goals both came from young striker Tim James and even younger midfielder Constantine, who rammed home the winner from 30 yards out in what many are saying has been the goal of the tournament. But as expected, until the last few minutes, the Wabbits were the Lions' equals in every sense of the word. In fact, after James in the 23rd minute to put Nedalia up by one, the Wabbits turned the pressure up, equalizing just 3 minutes afterwards. For every attack Nedalia would present, the Wabbits would counter, and vice-versa.

"Intense matchup, which was exactly what we were expecting. They may be the toughest team in the universe to figure out. You never know who you're going to get, but thankfully, we've gotten through and are on our way to the Finals. But I got to hand it to them, that is a skilled team. I hope they can say the same about us, because they have just moved up a few notches in my book. I have a newfound respect for that team, they are one hell of a squad," commented Randy Gamman.

What Gamman failed to address was the supposed Wabbits letdown in the final minutes of the game. Rumors are abound that not only did they concede the last goal on purpose, but also had a few words with the referee to lose the match for them. Nedalians everywhere, ofcourse, deny Spruitland would do such a thing, and continue to go on believing they beat the Wabbits at their very best.

A 4 - 3 extra time victory over Bettia has sent the Hockey Canada national squad to the finals to face off against the Lions. Its going to be a tropical vs. ice-cold affair, rum vs. beer, sand vs. snow, shorts vs. jackets, Air Conditioner vs. Heater, car overheating vs. needing the car to heat up, you get the idea.

"Its going to be a fantastic final, but like I stated before, we're taking this thing back to Nedalia. We started off very slow, but now we are one victory away. And I believe that victory will be ours."

Bettia

30-07-2005, 17:26

The Enlightener: 30th July 2005 - back to the drawing boardhttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/bettia/FAB.jpg

Aroras Edged Out

Bettia 3 (York 1 37, Harding 92)
Hockey Canada 4 (Ko 60 65 103, Broflowski 118)
AET - score after 90 mins: 2-2

The Aroras came into this match with a huge incentive, knowing that their fierce rivals Nedalia awaited them in the final. This would be their chance to avenge their previous two defeat to the Lions. This would be their chance to well and truly stamp their names in the world of NS-football. However, Bettian dreams of cup glory were scuppered by the Canucks, going down after extra time in a semi-final which could very well go down as one of the most exciting in Cup of Harmony history.

After the Nedalia debacle, Bettia were desperate to bounce back as soon as possible. How soon? How does 28 seconds sound? That's how long it took in-form striker Judson York to find the back of the net, after Jonanthon McKinnon's hopeful punt forward from the kick-off found the Pylos Reavers striker breaking through the back six, before he calmly slid the ball under the advancing keeper.

Buoyed by this early breakthough, the Aroras looked to increase their advantage, although they sometimes struggled against Hockey Cananda's bizarre 6-3-1 formation. Bobby Rosensteihl had an excellant chance to make it two-nil after 24 minutes, receiving the ball from Warlow on the edge of the penalty area then twisting round and shooting only to see his shot turned around the post by Thomas.

Bettia's advantage was doubled on 37 minutes after the troublesome Rosensteihl was fouled whilst making another of his darting runs towards the penalty area. Badr Warlow stepped up with one of his trademark free-kicks which cannoned off the crossbar. Luckily for Bettia, Judson York was quickest to react, scrambling the ball home despite the close attentions of Perrault and McKormick.

And so Bettia went into the second half two goals to the good, but that advantage was wasted as Hockey Canada came storming back. Their first came on the hour mark, with young midfielder Ike Broflowski holding the ball up on the edge of the area before finding lone striker Mike Ko with a short diagonal ball, which he gleefully dispatched. It was Ko who put the CAnucks on level terms just five minutes later, unleashing a thunderbolt from all of thirty yards which flew into the top corner despite Bryn Ap Arwel getting the faintest of fingertips to it.

As the half wore on, Hockey Cananda grew visably in confidence. Petr Sylanko came close, meeting a Broflowski corner with a header which skimmed over the crossbar. Ko almost sealed it in the dying seconds with a shot which was almost a carbon-copy of his second goal - thankfully, Ap Arwel was ready and gathered it easily.

The Aroras started the first half of extra time in pretty much the same fashion as the first half of regular time - with a quick goal. A long range effort from Badr Warlow was tipped over by Thomas, and John Harding headed home the resulting corner more or less unchallenged by the CAnucks defence to put the Aroras back in front.

Unfortunately that lead didn't even last ten minutes as Ko completed his hat-trick in emphatic style. Receiving the ball in the centre circle, he then proceded to embark on a mazy run taking him past three challenging Bettians. As he approached the penalty area, he was forced wide by wily veteran Said Ismail, but still managed to fire off a wickedly outward-curling shot which somehow snuck its way inside Ap Arwel's post.

As penalties loomed, Bettia started to pour forward looking for that elusive winner. Walworth, York and Bin Da'ud all had excellant opportunities in the second half. However, Hockey Canada defended solidly and clinched the match after breaking up another Bettian attack. Cormack broke forward into the Aroras gap-ridden left flank, and with a remarkable piece of vision picked out the run of his compatriot Broflowski with a deftly chipped ball into the area. The midfielder met the ball with head ust a split second before Bryn Ap Arwel could get to it, and the ball trundled into the net to spark wild scenes of jubilation.

And so another season of international football is drawing to a close for the Aroras. After disappointing runs in the World Cup and AOCAF IX, they managed to put some smile back onto the faces of their supporters, proving that they hadn't forgoten how to win. The team and supporters march onwards to Krytenia to cheer on their neighbours armed with green and yellow scarves and tin-foil replicas of the Cup of Harmony, with the words Bettia, Hypocria and Nedalia proudly emblazoned underneath.

Bettia Squad vs Hockey Cananda (4-2-4)

2. Bryn Ap Arwel
3. Ian Redpath
4. Michael Ryder (sub 78 mins: 8. Said Ismail)
5. Jonathon McKinnon
6. Amir Bin Da'ud
9. Badr Warlow
12. Omar Whistler (sub 90 mins: 11. Chris Walworth)
13. Bobby Rosensteihl
14. John Harding
15. Judson York
16. Zak Haynes (sub 90 mins: 17. Husni Teague)

Unused Substitutes
1. Amir Bettison (suspended)
7. John Hanson
10. Aaron Brown
18. Joseph Ackermann

Krytenia

31-07-2005, 16:21

THE FIFTEENTH CUP OF HARMONY FINAL
Played at The Davis Memorial Stadium, Everton City, Krytenia

Hockey Canada - 0
Nedalia - 1

Congratulations to NEDALIA!

Druida

31-07-2005, 18:57

THE (LITERALLY) VERY SMALL MATTER OF THE THIRD/FOURTH PLACE PLAY-OFF
Played at The Hole, Moorestown, Druida

Spruitland - 1
Bettia - 2

The hosts would like to thank all eight of the nations involved, and we hope to see you back in our countries for the finals of World Cup 24!

Bettia

01-08-2005, 15:34

The Enlightener: 1st August 2005 : exclusive interview with President Brookshttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/bettia/FAB.jpg

Bettia Bag Bronze

Bettia 2 (York 67 85)
Spruitland 1 (Jools 18)

The Aroras have ended this season of international football on a high, coming away victorious from this third-place playoff against offshore neighbours Spruitland.

Manager Munir At-Tariq kept faith with the adventurous 4-2-4 formation that has seen the Aroras come a lot further then expected, but rung the changes for this final matchup. The most notable of this was Joseph Ackermann making his debut, partnering his Downton teammate Bobby Rosensteihl up front.

The Wabbits kicked off in confident fashion, pouring forward at every opportunity. Wolters wasted a brace of opportunities, hitting a tame shot straight at the keeper on seven minutes, before skying another shot soon afterwards.

He soon made amends on seventeen minutes, making a neat turn and run through the centre before slotting the ball through to Dirk Jools, who gratefully converted his chance by slipping the ball through Bettison's legs.

The first half continued in much the same vein with the Wabbits having the edge over a Bettian side looking slightly weary after their epic semi-final defeat to Hockey Canada. Wigmeister came close from a corner, and Jools and Wolters both had chances to double their advantage.

The second half saw the Aroras revitalised by a double substitution, with Said Ismail replaced in defence by Michael Ryder, and Chris Walworth substituted for the dependable Omar Whistler. As the half wore on, Bettia slowly but surely clawed their way back into the match. Judson York in particular carried on his sparkling run of form with some incivise runs and crosses.

It was hardly suprising then when Judson York put the Aroras back on level terms, darting in from the left flank before firing in from a tight angle.

That was just the tonic Bettia needed, as they spent the rest of the half camped in Spruitland territory. Rosensteihl and Ackermann combined well in the centre before the former let rip with a shot that was turned around the post by Wabits keeper Simon Briers.

However, it was the ever-impressive Judson York who sealed the win with a late strike. Some untidy play in the Spruitland midfield was swept up by Whistler who spotted Ackermann making a run through the centre. Ackermann's shot was parried by the keeper, but only as far as York who coolly sidefotted the ball into an empty net to ensure Bettia came away from Druida with a victory and a batch of bronze medals.

Bettia Squad vs Spruitland (4-2-4)
1. Amir Bettison
5. Jonathon McKinnon
6. Amir Bin Da'ud
7. John Hanson (sub 76 mins: 3. Ian Redpath)
8. Said Ismail (sub 45 mins: 4. Michael Ryder)
9. Badr Warlow
11. Chris Walworth (sub 45 mins: 12. Omar Whistler)
13. Bobby Rosensteihl
15. Judson York
17. Husni Teague
18. Joseph Ackermann

Unused Substitutes
2. Bryn Ap Arwel
10. Aaron Brown
14. John Harding
16. Zak Haynes

NationStates Jolt Archive

Cup of Harmony 15 [for World Cup 23 non-qualifiers]