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| AO Forum :: > AOCAF - The AO Regional Soccer Tournament > A O C A F Iv Rp Thread |
| Posted by: Starblaydia Oct 29 2004, 04:32 PM |
| Starblaydia to kick off AOCAF 4 in Group of Death 3 Perennial Semi-finalists In Eastern Group With the 3rd-, 4th- and 5th-best teams (according to the AOCAF rankings, at least) in the Eastern Group, it looks like Triagunation might as well packs up their boots right now. One of those three big teams will be denied a Quarter-Final Spot, at least. Perhaps even two if Triagunation pulls of an upset or two while the big three knock lumps out of each other. In the North, Xile and Aquiliana will be trying to fight off determined challenges from Chacor and Pedriana to take Qualification, while in the West Turori and Three-time Champions NEWI Cefn Druids seems to have the easiest time against Nova Britannicus and debutants Big Pimento. Finally, in the South, Vilita and Lamoni should have the class to outlast Druida and Psytroxia. Starblaydia Captain Spike Martin, 30, is back for another tournament with the Armband and he thinks Starblaydia can qualify. 'This is a toughy, but if we can get through this stage, we can beat anybody. Even the Druids.' |
| Posted by: Lamoni Nov 3 2004, 05:14 PM |
| Lamoni draws Southern AOCAF group Nephi Times (Starblaydia) Lamoni was assigned to the Southern AOCAF group today by random draw. Also assigned to the South are: Druida, Psytroxia, and Vilita. The Nephi Times predicts that Lamoni will likely obtain a second place ranking in the group, behind Vilita. That is; of course, unless Vilita has a bad AOCAF. The Nephi Times prediction for the winner of this AOCAF is NEWI Cefn Druids. Not only have they won the last three AOCAF's, but they are in an excellent position to do it again. |
| Posted by: Pedriana Nov 3 2004, 09:09 PM | ||
| Pedriana with 'not a chance' of qualifying, say pundits JHANNA, Starblaydia -- Pedriana has been drawn into the Northern group for the fourth running of the Atlantian Oceania Cup of Association Football, hosted by Starblaydia. Despite this being Pedriana's third attempt at AOCAF, most sports analysts say Pedriana shouldn't even hope to win the thing, or even get anywhere near it. "We're up against Aquiliana, Xile, and Chacor in this group," says sports minister Alfonso. "Aquiliana is one of the hottest teams around, at least judging by how they've done the last couple World Cups. Xile, I'm pretty certain, has managed to defeat us on every occasion we've met. And then there's Chacor. Don't even talk to me about Chacor. Fact is, we're finishing dead last in the group." He paused for a moment before adding, "Again." When pressed for further comment about Chacor, he began to mumble. We vaguely heard something about World Cup VIII, though that seems rather cryptic to us as neither Pedriana nor Chacor was involved in that Cup. It does seem likely that we are destined for a bottom-of-the-table finish for the third consecutive time, though. Even when we hosted the bloody thing we STILL finished last. So don't get your hopes up, folks. ---------- OOC:
Many AOers aren't going to have any idea who you're talking about. For the uninitiated, that is the parent nation of Pedriana. |
| Posted by: Starblaydia Nov 4 2004, 07:41 AM | ||
| Robertson Gets Only Goal in Eastern Group One-Nil! To-Star-blay-di-a! Hosting and Playing in a tournament for the first time, veteran Karl Robertson scored the only goal of the game as Starblaydia beat Crystilakere for the first time in the world... ever! After half an hour some good work on the left by Jose Tirado, a free kick was awarded to Starblaydia. Vladimir Tsarev swung in a lovely curving ball that was in the perfect Danger Area in between Goalie and Defence. Karl Robertson threw himself at the ball and his diving header slammed past the Crystilakere 'keeper. Next Up Starblaydiatake on Sarzonia, who have twiced been placed Third in past AOCAFs. Hopefully Foundation Road, home of Starblaydi Champions Iskara Daii, will prove as frustrating for Sarzonia as it did during their 0-0 draw with Triagunation yesterday. That draw leaves Starblaydia top in the East with five games still to go. The Biggest Win of the day came in the west, where NEWI Cefn Druids beat debutants Big Pimento in Corinthian Spirits' home stadium.
Final Score From the Jhanna City Rec. Ground: Crystilakere 0 - 1 Starblaydia (None) - (Robertson 36) |
| Posted by: Sarzonia Nov 4 2004, 10:09 AM |
| Stars flat-footed in scoreless draw The so-called "B-team" for Sarzonia's national football team played its debut match in the fourth AOCAF tournament against Triangunation in the Eastern group of the tournament. The two teams couldn't dent each other's nets and the teams walked away with a defensive struggle and a 0-0 draw. "We're disappointed with the result," Coach David Bostwick said. "We're now facing an uphill battle against one of our biggest rivals, who also happen to be the host country. If we're not careful, we could find ourselves out of the running before Matchday three. "We just couldn't string any passes together," forward and team captain Anton Gregor said. Gregor played in his first match since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament against NEWI Cefn Druids in the semifinals of the third AOCAF tournament. He was taken out after 68 minutes with the coaches monitoring his fitness carefully. Gregor had the best chances on net of any of the Stars, including a point blank shot that Gregor "would have made in [his] sleep" before the injury. "He's not all the way back yet," Bostwick said. "He's going to have to get his timing back and get back into match day shape, but we're not going to have a whole lot of time to do that." The Stars face host nation and rivals Starblaydia in the first match between the sides since the Stars won both matches during qualifying for World Cup 17. Starblaydia defeated the Stars in the early stages of AOCAF II. "That match wouldn't be easy even if we had our first choice team here," Bostwick said. "They're the 21st ranked team in the world and they're likely still smarting from that World Cup run. We're going to have to be ready for them." Bostwick told a reporter after the match that the team would play a defensive game against Starblaydia, and that "we'd be lucky to get one shot on goal. "We need all the help we can get against those guys," he said. [Secret IC for scorination purposes NOT for RP purposes: The Stars are going to say up and down that they're going to play a defensive-oriented game but they're saying that to lull Starblaydia into a false sense of security. Once kickoff hits, they will play an attacking style with the possession game being paramount. It's going to be about trying to fake Starblaydia out.] |
| Posted by: Starblaydia Nov 4 2004, 06:54 PM |
| Unphased by Defensive Talk Starblaydia will play their own game, make Stars react to them Starblaydia's AOCAF 4 squad were today playing down talk that Sarzonia would be playing a highly-defensive team. 'We certainly have the strike force to penetrate any defence in the AOCAF,' said Captain Spike Martin, 30, 'Karl and Jakkinho are two top strikers, and Simon Hill scored against them in World Cup 17 Qualifiers, if i'm not mistaken.' We all know that a 4-5-1, or a 5-3-2 can both produce high scores. Winning the ball in midfield with the former option can allow domination, while wing-backs of a 5-3-2 can be equally dangerous. 'They're not usually partial to System Karela,' said Geraint Evans, 'but we'll certainly not be second-guessing them, we'll play our own game and make them react to us. Not the other way round.' That very Sun Tzu-ish from the Half-Druidish midfielder, but he's right. If you have to react to the enemy you have already lost. Starblaydia have the on-pitch tactical nous of some very experienced players, most notably Martin, Robertson and Tsarev. They won't be outfoxed by anybody. We hope. |
| Posted by: Aquiliana Nov 4 2004, 09:09 PM |
| Falcons Start Off Unremarkable All of Group A grinds to a halt After being drawn into one of the easiest groups ever assembled for AOCAF IV, the Falcons' second team couldn't quite put away Pedriana, the match ending in a 2-2 draw. It's definitely a good start, at least much better than one other AO event that will not be mentioned here. In fact the other Group A match also ended in a draw, meaning that everyone's in first place. Except Chacor and Xile. They only got 1 goal each. So anyway, hopefully this team will represent their National Team clubmates and come through with a strong performance. That way, we can start counting AOCAF games in national football history. If not, then this tournament never happened. Or whatever. Final Score: Aquiliana 2 (Mendenatrius 41, Filii 55) Pedriana 2 (35, 64) OOC: Now celebrating Aquiliana's transformation into a Civil Rights Lovefest, one of the least common government types there is! |
| Posted by: Chacor Nov 5 2004, 12:49 AM |
| Chacor manage to hold Xile In a surprising game, the Chacor defence held strong and managed to hold off a last-ditch attempt by Xile at stealing a winning goal. Xile had taken the lead through #4 after 15 minutes due to a defensive blunder, but they were caught off-guard as Chacor attacked right from the restart, Lewis McNaught managing to sidefoot the ball past the keeper. Chacor are currently third in the group on alphabetical order. |
| Posted by: Starblaydia Nov 5 2004, 06:57 AM | ||
| Two From Two for Hosts "Defensive, My Ass!" as Stars come out (with All Guns) Blazing A remarkable pair of results has given Starblaydia two wins over two of their rivals in Atlantian Oceania. Crystilakere and Sarzonia have now both fallen, albeit just a single goal each time) to the Host-nation. Surely Home Advantage doesn't reap that big a reward? 'It certainly didn't work for Pedriana four years ago,' said embattled Captain Spike Martin, 'but we're a good team, dammit. We're the overlooked and underrated of Starblaydi International Football. This is Vladimir's tenth tournament representing Starblaydia, for crying out loud. He's a great player!' With both youth and experience trying to get into the full team, plus the backing of the home crowds at every step, Starblaydia are stepping up to the plate like they did in Pedriana four years ago. As for the match itself, Sarzonia's lineup belied their defensive machinations, and they were obviously out to get Starblaydia from the very beginning. Unfortunately, Starblaydia's commentators were all prepared for it, but the players on the field weren't. Sarzonia scored quickly as they overran the Starblaydi defence, giving Porter a well-worked goal after just five minutes. Starblaydia barely managed to hold their lines against the onslaught. The over-attacking formation, however, was open to exploitation. When a long-ball put Jakkinho clean through in the twenty-third minute, there was only one outcome as he rounded the 'keeper and equalised. Starblaydia's winner came after half time from twenty year-old Tommas Piper, who rose highest in the box to nod home, capping a great win for Starblaydia
Final Score From the Foundation Road: Sarzonia 1 - 2 Starblaydia (Porter 5) - (Jakkinho 23, Piper 54) |
| Posted by: Druida Nov 5 2004, 10:56 AM |
| The Tribune Tribune Serving Druid Tribune and the surrounding area ANOTHER SHOCK!!! Trefor Blackmore onVilita 0 Druida 1 After a World Cup qualifying campaign that has seen the Druida rainbows be one of the surprise packages, the shocks they are becoming famous for continued here, as they upset a Vilitan team by a goal to nil. After losing to Lamoni in their opening game, the Druidan list of shocks had another one added to it after this encounter. Yes, Druida have beaten Vilita by a goal to nil. OK, it wasn't the first choice Vilitan side that plays in their World Cup matches. Like many of the other sides that compete in the AOCAF cup, they have entered a "B" team, but the level of football in Vilita is so high that even a not so strong Vilitan side would be expected to ease past a Druidan team. Not so. A solitary goal from Trefor Andrews was enough to beat Vilita after a stout defensive performance got the team through the match with a quite unbelieveable clean sheet. But 1-0 it finished. However, there is still a long way to go in this group. But if the rainbows can overcome Psytroxia in their third game, the rainbows will be in a very good position to push on for a quarter final place. |
| Posted by: Lamoni Nov 5 2004, 05:38 PM |
| Lamoni vs. Vilita Nephi Times (Starblaydia) In what is widely expected to be a good match to watch, the Lamoni Hawks will take on Vilita in Starblaydia. Vilita is fielding a so-called 'B' team for this AOCAF, and that team will be looking for a win after their loss to Druida. Assistant Coach Stepanovich describes Lamoni's chances as 50/50. "Lamoni's AOCAF record has always had the other teams watching us with respect. Now, we'll get to see how some of the really high ranking teams try to play against us. This will be a very important match for us, especially since we defeated NEWI Cefn Druids in the last AOCAF. Yes, Vilita will be on their gaurds while playing us. We will have to play our game, and try to teach Vilita a few things." |
| Posted by: Pedriana Nov 5 2004, 05:49 PM |
| Crikey! BISARLEY, Starblaydia -- Two-two? Sounds like the kind of score Pedriana might get against Ravea on a good day. Anyone claiming it was at all likely against Aquiliana, however, was likely to be dismissed with a wave of the hand. But the Llamas' Matchday 1 performance would stun all of Atlantian Oceania as they proved they might actually be competitive for once. Striker Paris Canetta would be the one to light up the scoreboard first, sending a well-curved shot just behind Comis Dorectides in goal for 1-0. Midfielder Valdave Mendenatrius would quickly equalize for Aquiliana, putting them back on equal footing at halftime. The Falcons dominated going into the second half, with Cantare Filii chipping a shot over Otha Woelfle's head and into the net, giving Aquiliana the lead. The Pedrian offense continued to press their opposition, though, and Miguel Cavalaris came up with another equalizer on 64 minutes. The Llamas, ecstatic at the possibility of taking a point away from Aquiliana, dropped back into as close to a System Karela as they could manage, and the Aquil offense could not break through the defensive line, preserving the 2-2 scoreline. "That was amazing," commented Pedriana coach Olé Retaguma after the match. "Getting this point is a very good sign for our chances this year. We might actually stay out of the cellar this time." Final score: Aquiliana 2 (Mendenatrius 41, Filii 55) Pedriana 2 (Canetta 35, Cavalaris 64) [OOC: Pedriana's roster is the same as in AOCAF III, except that all the players are four years older now.] |
| Posted by: Starblaydia Nov 6 2004, 10:05 AM | ||||
| Unbeaten... Just Starblaydia nearly slip up to unbeaten Triagunation In the Group of Death, seeing two unbeaten teams is somewhat of an oddity, particularly when they're the two lower-ranked teams in the Group. Home team Starblaydia and little-un's Triagunation both sit unbeaten in the Eastern Group, though the later is also winless after three consectuive draws. Starblaydia, who's line-up had five changes and looked more like their Under-21 team rather than a simple 'B' Team, had to come from Two Goals down to clinch a draw in Jhanna. The line-up had an average age of less than nineteen:
Noteable inclusions are the the tow Nemyans, Doukas and Koentas, along with Iskara Daii youth Jaime Majeed. This line-up, however, looked a little lost in the midst of a capacity crowd, as all Starblaydia's matches are certain to be in this tournament. One-nil down at half-time, soon two-nil after the break, and Starblaydia threw on some changes. Simon Hill and Vladimir Tsarev came on from the two Nemyans at the hour, with almost immediate effect. Hill used all his experience to ghost into the box and tap home the first, while a great corner-flag challenge from Tsarev gave the ball to Majeed, who's huge long-ball was misjudged by a Triagunation defender, allowing Jakkinho to steal and round the goalie for the equaliser. A wave of Triagunation substitutions evened the game out and no more goals were forthcoming for the final twenty mintues. Though Starblaydia blooded a fair few youngsters in this match, their performance does auger well for the future. Unbeaten in three games, with Crystilakere winless and Sarzonia snapping at their heels, Starblaydia will have to really stuff up over the next three matches to not make the Quarter-Finals.
Final Score From the Jhanna City Rec: Starblaydia 2 - 2 Triagunation (Hill 67, Jakkinho 70) - (23, 49) |
| Posted by: Aquiliana Nov 6 2004, 10:15 AM |
| Falcons Split The Group First time Through: 1-1-1 It looks to be a close race in Group A down to the wire. Unlikely group leaders Pedriana are unbeaten, while Aquiliana sits in second place even after losing to Xile, by having scored 4 more goals to 2 more against. No one is surprised that Chacor fell to the bottom, especially after a 4-1 thrashing from the Falcons, but Xile only having taken 1 out of 3 is somewhat surprising, they being the highest-ranked team in the group. It should be very interesting, and let's hope that the B squad from Aquiliana can come through and qualify for their first AOCAF Cup Finals! |
| Posted by: Sarzonia Nov 6 2004, 12:15 PM |
| Stars dim Crystils, 2-0 sit in 2nd The Sarzonian second choice national team was facing a grim situation. The team was tied for last place in the Eastern group, also known as the Group of Death since it had the third, fourth, and fifth-highest ranked teams in Atlantian Oceania football and was in danger of falling out of contention for a knockout stages match. However, this edition of the Stars showed the determination usually shown by the first choice team and Anton Gregor snapped his goal scoring slump with two goals and the Stars shut out Crystilakere 2-0. "That was an important match for us to win," Coach David Bostwick said. "We drew against the 11th ranked team in the region and lost to the fifth ranked team, so we knew we had to win this match." Gregor got the party started for the Stars by deking past Crystils goalkeeper Gaetano Novello and tapping in an easy finish in the 27th minute to put the Stars ahead 1-0. The goal came despite intense Crystils pressure and came after a counter attack led by midfielder Dix Porter, who stole the ball in midfield from Paolo Gallo, his opposite number in the Crystils kit. Porter sprinted down the middle of the field and found Gregor, who made a move that made many of the Sarzonian supporters in attendance forget his ACL tear in the previous AOCAF tournament. "Tonight was the first time I really didn't think about [the injury]," Gregor, the "B" team's captain, said. "I just let instinct take over and when I found I could cut like I used to without pain, it made a big difference." The Stars immediately took command of the match from then on out, playing a possession game that the senior national team began to implement in their World Cup qualifying campaign. The Stars began to wear down the Crystils in the second half, as the second seeds could scarcely generate any pressure on goalkeeper John Bartlett (five saves, four in the first half). Buoyed with confidence, Gregor put an exclamation point to his dramatic comeback from the injury and the Stars' comeback from the doldrums of their lackluster play in the tournament. As the stadium clock showed the 78th minute tick, Gregor made a breathtaking run down the right sideline and passed up a crossing chance to fellow forward Bruce Badger. He fired a laser shot past Novello and the goal must have seemed like the nail in the Crystils coffin. "We played a great game, no question," Bartlett said. "We've still got a match against a team taht hasn't lost all tournament (Triangunation) and rematches against both highly ranked countries. Let's not forget the rematch against the hosts [Starblaydia]. We've got a lot to prove just yet." |
| Posted by: Lamoni Nov 6 2004, 06:30 PM |
| Lamoni brings Vilita to a draw, looks to defeat Druida again Nephi Times (Starblaydia) Lamoni brought Vilita to a 1-1 draw today, bringing Lamoni's record to 2 wins and 1 draw with 7 points. The undefeated Hawks look to defeat second place Druida for the second time in this AOCAF, and look to be headed for a first place finish in group south. "We are undefeated, but we are not going to let that get to us," said assistant coach Stepanovich, "we are still going to play each game like it's our last. Lamoni has a good chance of facing Sarzonia again in the playoffs, and this time, we intend to win that matchup." Such a win would undoubtedly add to Lamoni's already laudable AOCAF record of performance, as well as confirm Lamoni as a team to be reckoned with. |
| Posted by: Starblaydia Nov 7 2004, 10:03 AM | ||
| First Loss For Starblaydia Hopefully its the last loss as Crystilakere get revenge Christian Benedetti struck in both halves as Crystilakere fought their way off the foot of the table and handed Starblaydia their first loss in the Fourth Atlantian Oceania Cup of Association Football. Benedetti converted a controversial penalty that had resulted from a Rigoberto challenge on Kuhn. Starblaydi subsitute Stelios Doukas scored to level the two sides ten minutes after coming on, but Benedetti made it two with a fierce shot from ten yards.after good work from Kuhn and Baker. 'Kalse oversaw a good team today,' said Starblaydia Captain Spike Martin, 'his team came out and they were tough and wily. And they got the result, more importantly, that they'd probably deserved in some of their previous games.' Starblaydia sit second on goal difference in the Eastern Table, tied on points with toppers Sarzonia. A lot could happen in this group, so we will wait for tommorow's scores to see how this Group of Death pans out.
Final Score From the Jhanna City Rec: Starblaydia 1 - 2 Crystilakere (Doukas 72) - (Benedetti pen36, 84) |
| Posted by: Sarzonia Nov 7 2004, 12:00 PM |
| Stars put one past Triangunation 1-0 The Sarzonian second choice national team started to get its legs under it with a 2-0 win over Crystilakere and continued its progress with a 1-0 win over Triangunation, dealing the 11th ranked team in Atlantian Oceania its first loss of the tournament. "That was an important win for us to get," Coach David Bostwick said. "With Starblaydia and Crystilakere in the offing, we need to get all the points we can get before this thing's done." Midfielder "Dix" Porter scored the only goal of the match with a direct free kick following a foul in the box by Triangunation's defensive midfielder on forward Bruce Badger. Porter's bending kick eluded the fingertips of the 'keeper and sailed into the net in the 42nd minute to send the Stars into the half ahead 1-0. The teams traded scoring opportunities in the second half, with Stars keeper John Bartlett making six saves in the second half and nine overall to notch his third clean sheet of the tournament. "Bartlett's been on the top of his game," forward and team captain Anton Gregor said. "He might even be in contention for Troy's [Perkins, the starting goalkeeper on the first choice national team] job." "I'm not going to get caught up in all that," Bartlett said. "I've got a job I've got to do right now." The Stars face Starblaydia, so far the only team to deal it a loss in this tournament. "That's going to be a tough match," Bostwick said. "You saw what happened when we tried to deceive them." The Stars said they would watch the tapes of Crystilakere's win to find out if there was something they could use to beat this Starblaydi national team short of sending the first choice team into the match. "We'll see. If we find out they're sending their first choice side, we'll send ours," Bostwick said. "If not, we'll figure it out from there." |
| Posted by: Lamoni Nov 7 2004, 07:42 PM |
| Draw with Druida, win expected against Psytroxia Nephi Times (Starblaydia) The Hawks got into a draw with Druida today, bringing their record to 2-0-2. Lamoni is still number one in the group south rankings, and is expected to face either Sarzonia or Starblaydia in the playoffs. Lamoni is expected to have an easy time against already eliminated Psytroxia, but don't think that they will take this match lightly. "While Psytroxia has yet to win a match in this AOCAF, we can't afford to treat them lightly," said assistant coach Stepanovich "they could somehow come back and win against us. There have been stranger things that have happened in AOCAF." He then excused himself so that he could help the team study film of Psytroxia's matches. This team is playoff bound. |
| Posted by: Xile Nov 8 2004, 08:16 AM |
| Though the government has taken its eyes off Xile in the sporting world, a dedicated fanbase still remains to watch the miserable performance of their team. As it comes naturally, all foreigners representing an opposing team are violently persecuted daily. It has yet to be determined whether the persecution is worse after an Xilean win or loss. Not much has been going on internationally, so the news stays focused on the matches. Coach Cy Maxelli is desperate for his team to a little better, remembing what happened to the last coach who's team performed so badly in the region. Needless to say, the next few games will be watched vigilantly by all in the nation. |
| Posted by: Aquiliana Nov 8 2004, 10:00 AM |
| Falcons Near Qualification Sitting in first on the last day With a convincing 2-0 victory over Chacor Sunday night, Aquiliana came within a fingertip of qualifying for the AOCAF Finals. The Falcons currently reside in first place in Group A, with 10 points and a +5 GD. Xile is right behind them, withthe same 10 points, but only a +2 differential. Pedriana stil has a good chance of qualifying, with 7 points and +1, while Chacor has completely nosedived to the bottom, collecting only a draw so far. The Falcons play Xile tonight. To qualify, they only need to gain a point from this match, or else lose by an amount that when combined with the amount that Pedriana wins by adds up to less than 4. The odds are good, but anything can always happen. |
| Posted by: Sarzonia Nov 8 2004, 01:00 PM |
| Stars in 'must win' mode after loss Jhanna, Starblaydia -- The Sarzonian second choice national team missed out on an opportunity to book its ticket for the knockout stages in the fourth AOCAF tournament when the team dropped a 2-1 decision to host nation Starblaydia. With Crystilakere's 4-1 win over Triangunation, the Crystils and the Stars are in a deadlock for the second playoff position in the Eastern group. "We just didn't account for their offensive prowess the way we should have," Coach David Bostwick said. "We put ourselves in a must win situation against Crystilakere." The Stars (2-2-1, seven points) didn't get on the scoreboard until it was too late -- 88 minutes late. By that time, forward Karl Robinson and midfielder Jose Tirado had put two goals past Stars goalkeeper John Bartlett in the first 18 minutes of the match. Bostwick sent in Marco Taglianetti to replace Bartlett, but the damage had already been done. "It wasn't an indictment on Bartlett," Bostwick said. "We didn't help him enough defensively." Midfielder Trevor Crenshaw restored some pride to the Stars when his one time header banged off the crossbar and off the back of goalkeeper Gavin Thornley's neck for the Stars only tally. "I can't think about [scoring his first international goal]," Crenshaw said. "We've got to think about winning. That's the only way we're going to advance out of this group." With the draws putting the third, fourth and fifth-ranked teams in Atlantian Oceania in the same group, the obvious concern for each team was advancing past the so-called "Group of Death." For the Stars, their thoughts would have to center on winning the match against their southern neighbors and the team the Stars beat 3-2 in their first-ever international match to kick off the AOCAF tournament. "We've played a very close series against the Crystils," Bostwick noted. The Stars lost to Crystilakere 2-0 in the Cup of Harmony following World Cup 16 before beating them by that same score here. "We're expecting their best shot," Bostwick said. "We're going to have to get in there with all our bullets firing." |
| Posted by: Vilita Nov 8 2004, 01:43 PM |
| 4th Times a Charm? Alikki-Corra, Vilita -- For the first time in their regional history, Vilita have not been the first team drawn in the AOCAF Group Stage. The Jungle Cats have finished top of their group in each previous competition, despite facing NEWI Cefn Druids and Crystilakere along the way. In AOCAF I, The Jungle Cats opened up by squeeking by newcomers Xile, before thrashing regional neighbors Turori by a team record 6-1 scoreline. The goalless draw with NEWI Cefn Druids was enough to see them through atop the group, earning them a first ever meeting with Sarzonia, where Serge DuPont sent Vilita through to the first ever AOCAF Final. However, a NEWI-Cefn Druid rematch would go in favor of the Druids. Vilita were drawn first out of the hat again in the build-up to AOCAF II, before an opening match loss to former regional delegate Crystilakere. Vilita fought back with 4 straight group wins over Krytenia, Xile, Pedriana and Lamoni, before disposing of Lamoni again in the Quarter Finals. a Crystilakere rematch was on cards in the semis, where Vilita dissapointingly crashed out on home turf on penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw. They were able to easily take control of the third-placed playoff, relegating Sarzonia to 4th place. In AOCAF III, Vilita made a mockery of their opponents in the group stage, sporting a perfect record with an average scoreline of (5.1)-(0.4). However, this success was quickly dunted with a 1-6 thrashing at the hands of now-hosts Starblaydia in the second round. The Vilitan showing in AOCAF IV has been less than spectacular, with only a late ruling allowing teams to play each other twice saving the Regional Cats from an unlikely group stage exit. A Draw at Lamoni is the focus of the low points as Vilita look to rebound with victories in their final two matches to regain their position in the knockout rounds. |
| Posted by: Lamoni Nov 8 2004, 07:03 PM |
| Hawks draw against Psytroxia, look for win against Vilita Nephi Times (Starblaydia) After getting a draw against still winless Psytroxia, Lamoni is looking to defeat Vilita and regain first place in group south. In their last match-up, the Hawks had a draw against Vilita. Assistant Coach Stepanovich commented on Lamoni's progress: "We have two wins and three draws. We are simply going to have to do better than that if we are going to advance very far into the playoffs. We are hoping to start against Vilita. We gave them a draw the last time that we faced them, but we are going to go over the videos of their last matches with a fine tooth comb so that we can find every advantage. We would like to go into the playoffs with a 3-0-3 record. We should be able to do that, if our record trend holds." Lamoni has been getting better in every AOCAF that they have been in. If that trend holds, they will defeat their oponent in the first stage of the AOCAF playoffs. |
| Posted by: NEWI Cefn Druids Nov 9 2004, 07:52 AM |
| The Daily Druid ANOTHER AOCAF ON THE CARDS? By Björn-Trevor Frederiksson Five games into their fourth AOCAF Cup campaign, and the three-times winners NEWI Cefn Druids remain unbeaten. In fact, they haven't even drawn a match yet, with five wins out of five so far. However, many people in NEWI Cefn Druids are looking a bit nervous this time, as they remember the fantastic start Vilita had last time before crashing out 6-1 to Starblaydia. However, as per usual, the Druids are putting out what is effectively a first-choice 11, where most of their main rivals who also play in the World Cup seem to play teams with a few players in them that wouldn't get in otherwise. And so far, it has worked, they have won each of the three tournaments so far. It also means that teams like Lamoni, who do not have the distraction of a World Cup campaign, will also do well, and that seems to be how it is going so far. However, everyone's favourites seem to be the Druids again. Not a pleasant pleasure to have, but favourites have to deal with it. Could it be a fourth championship? Well, we are still convinced that the Starblaydi team, with home support, will probably do it, but if the two meet again like they did last time, it's bound to be a close one! |
| Posted by: Druida Nov 9 2004, 09:39 AM |
| The Tribune Tribune Serving Druid Tribune and the surrounding area RAINBOWS' DESTINY IN OWN HANDS As long as they beat Psytroxia by five clear goals By Trefor Blackmore Things have gone reasonably well so far for Druida during their AOCAF Cup campaign. Last time around, they were nothing very special, but this time, they are putting in a decent challenge for a quarter-final spot. The rainbows are currently third in their group, two points behind Lamoni and three behind Vilita. The top two, though, face each other in the final match. But how could an unlikely Druida qualification from the group stage occur? Well, for starters, they will have to beat Psytroxia no matter what, otherwise they have absolutely no hope whatsoever of hauling in their group rivals. But what of the other game. Wins for Druida and Vilita would see the Jungle Cats and the rainbows through. However, if Lamoni win, then Druida must win by enough goals to close the gap in goal difference to Vilita. The difference is currently +3 in favour of Vilita, who have also currently scored four more goals than Druida. So, this effectively means that the goal difference needs to change by +4 in favour of Druida, but that could be made up with a combination of the size of the wins Lamoni and Druida have. Finally, the worst possible result for Druida would be a draw between the top two. It would mean that only Lamoni, on 10 points would be catchable. However, Lamoni have considerably better goal difference and have scored far more goals than Druida. The equation simply means that it would take a Druida win by five goals to turn things around. So we know what we have to do, we know it's pretty damn unlikely, but let's give it a shot anyway, eh? |
| Posted by: Sarzonia Nov 9 2004, 02:56 PM |
| Stars shine more than Crystils, 2-0 The Sarzonian national team was facing a do-or-die match for the right to advance to the knockout stages of the AOCAF tournament with its second choice national team. The so-called "B" team was in jeopardy of being eliminated from the tournament after group play for the first time in four years. The Stars made sure not to let that happen. Behind five saves by goalkeeper John Bartlett and a goal from midfielder Darrell Bennett, the Stars blanked the Crystils, 2-0. "That win was badly needed," Coach David Bostwick said. "If we lose this match, we go home. It was as simple as that." The Stars (3-2-1, 10 points, 2nd place East Region) got on the scoresheet first when Crystils defender Alejandro Ayala muffed on a clear attempt and watched with horror as his mi-explicitive removed- ball slipped into the net past goalkeeper Gaetano Novello for the Stars goal just seven minutes into the match. Crystilakere (2-3-1, seven points) were shocked by the sudden goal and pressed forward in an attempt to draw the match level, but a Stars defense that conceded four goals in the so-called Group of Death was more than up to the task. The Crystils' best chance to draw the match level came in the 39th minute off the boot of forward Benjamin Kuhn when he beat defender Trevor Crenshaw to a loose ball following a poor clear. Kuhn's one time bid met the grasp of Bartlett and the Stars went into the locker room at halftime leading 1-0. The Stars applied the pressure and became the aggressors in the second half when Bennett stole the ball from Crystils midfielder Michael Baker and raced toward the Crystils end. He fired a one-time bid that scorched past Novello for a 2-0 lead 11 minutes into the second half. The Crystils applied pressure from then on, but it became the "John Bartlett show," defender Mark Bender said. "Bartman was awesome," Bender said. "He wouldn't let Crystilakere into the match." The Stars face perennial regional heavy Vilita in a quarterfinal match that Bostwick called, "the most difficult one we could draw. "They've pretty much always been one of the best teams in the world. We're going to have to play well to even have a chance." Bostwick may not get that chance. The Incorporated Football Federation said it was considering sending the first choice team coached by Dave Wilson into the match against the Jungle Cats. "That's a decision that's up to the federation," Bostwick said. "I have no control over that." |
| Posted by: Lamoni Nov 9 2004, 03:40 PM |
| Lamoni and Vilita in scoreless draw, Hawks to face Starblaydia Nephi Times (Starblaydia) The Hawks qualified for the playoffs after finishing a scoreless draw with Vilita today. The seemingly odd result was maintained by excellent both teams' excellent defenses. The Hawks will face AOCAF host Starblaydia in the playoffs. Assistant Coach Stepanovich puts it this way: "We know that we will have a tough match on our hands. Starblaydia has a very good team. However, we feel that we also have a good team, and that this game will be much more even than many might predict. I would give us a 50/50 chance of winning this match. We have a slightly better record than they do, but that won't amount to much." The Times predicts that this match is too close to call. |
| Posted by: Big Pimento Nov 9 2004, 06:06 PM |
| Futility Kings Save Some Grace Big Pimento avoids skunking with a 0-0 draw It's been a sorry few years for Big Pimento sports. They've stunk it up at World Cup Qualification so they're not very good right now. They've stunk it up at Under-21 World Cup so they have no prospects. They were kicking ass at the Basketball World Cup... before the host nation put a gun to their head. And most recently... they've stunk it up at the AOCAF championships and now they're the laughing stock of Atlantian Oceania. 5 games... 0 points. Not bad for some no-named team to come out of nowhere like Somalialand, but Big Pimento was supposed to be one of the up-and-coming teams in football. Instead, they've flopped titanically, sucking on every level, earning them the new nickname of "Futility Kings". In their final chance to keep a little dignity in hand, they got to play Nova Britannicus. No one really stepped it up for Big Pimento, they're effort was consistant with the rest of the tournament (i.e. bad), but for once, they were fortunate enough to catch a team on an off-night. No goals, no excitement, no score. It was a boring match but the most exciting news Big Pimento fans have heard in months. The Pimentos WOULD NOT be shut out. But with that being the brightest ray of sunshine to touch down upon sports fans in quite some time in the Land of the Pimentos, it really makes you think... What a sad, sad time it is to be a sports fan in Big Pimento. |
| Posted by: Pedriana Nov 9 2004, 09:49 PM |
| We're through, but is it really a blessing? Llamas to face NEWI Cefn Druids in quarterfinals Firstly, we apologize for the lack of government publications as of late. The press office burned down last week and has only just gotten back online. But despite that unfortunate occurrence, the world of sport has been much better for Pedriana, with a win over Chacor on the final day causing Pedriana to progress to the quarterfinals. Yes, you DID read that right. We didn't go 0-0-6, and we didn't even finish at the bottom of the table. We got second! So how are we rewarded for our performance? We get to play NEWI Cefn Druids in the quarterfinals! Yes, the same NEWI Cefn Druids that won AOCAF all of the first three times and have gone 6-0-0 in this year's group stage. The same Druids that are ranked in the top ten in all the world. Pah, some reward for actually doing something this time -- we get to play the bloody Druids and lose 0-7 or some equally embarrassing score. If you've been extremely happy lately and need to be brought back down to Earth, feel free to listen to the match live on National Radio 101.3 FM. |
| Posted by: NEWI Cefn Druids Nov 10 2004, 09:01 AM |
| The Daily Druid ARE WE TAKING THIS TOO SERIOUSLY? By Björn-Trevor Frederiksson After beating Turori to keep their 100% record intact, NEWI Cefn Druids have earned themselves a quarter-final match against Pedriana. But as the Druids' dominance of the AOCAF Cup seems to continue, the people of NEWI Cefn Druids are asking the question "Are the Druids taking the AOCAF too seriously?" A lot of the evidence seems to point that way. The Druids play a full strength side every time, starting with their first-choice World Cup starting 11 in every game so far. The combination of Law and Gessemschmitthaagen-Po up front seems to scare everyone witless, Bill Posters and Dan Northfleet on the wings have full-backs quaking in their boots, Mo Leicester will stop anyone, and the McDonald Brothers at the back are usually just too strong. Compare the Druids in this competition with some of the other top teams in the region. Vilita are considered internationally to be about as good as the Druids, but their team, however strong it may be, has often disapointed. But they seem to be more of an exception to the rule. Starblaydia, for example, are good enough to beat anyone on a given day, especially on their own back yard. Sarzonia have done alright historically, but a "B" team this time out might not be quite as good. Pedriana and Lamoni will see the AOCAF as their best way of winning something. Then there's Crystilakere, who seem to have lost their way recently. So are the Druids taking the AOCAF to seriously? Of course not! All competitions are there to be won, and you've got to remember that anything can happen in this game. Look at Druida in the World Cup qualifiers. No-one can afford to rest on their laurels. If you want to win, you've got to do your best. |
| Posted by: Aquiliana Nov 10 2004, 09:49 AM |
| Aquiliana Reaches Playoffs Yay Xile was the first team to defeat Aquiliana in the AOCAF qualifiers. So naturally, they were the last team to fall. The Falcons came in and convincingly defeated Xile, 4-1, to knock out the Xilean team and propel themselves powerfully into the finals. Aquiliana's forwards were just too much for Xile's exhausted defensemen, with Lega scoring 2 goals and Adiuntua scoring another off the bench. Aquiliana is coming into the finals with a huge amount of momentum, and should be favored somewhat in their quarterfinal matchup against Turori. A huge majority of the 85,000 seats should be filled by Aquilians, who only have to cross the channel to reach Starblaydia. |
| Posted by: Lamoni Nov 11 2004, 04:46 PM |
| Lamoni loses to Starblaydia, is knocked out of playoffs Nephi Times (Starblaydia) Taking a 3-1 loss, the Lamoni Hawks were knocked out of the AOCAF playoffs today. "While we are disappointed by the way that things turned out in this game, we will do what we have always done, and use what we have learned in order to make our team better for the next time. Our ranking will likely place us in either 7th or 8th place, so we can't really complain about that." said Assistant Coach Stepanovich. Indeed, this continues the Lamoni AOCAF tradition of getting ever higher rankings with each AOCAF. Until the next AOCAF! |
| Posted by: Sarzonia Nov 11 2004, 04:46 PM |
| Stars shocker: Cats declawed 2-0 Hallad, Starblaydia -- The Sarzonian second choice national team ended up taking the field against Vilita in spite of machinations by the Incorporated Football Federation that they might send the first choice national team coached by Dave Wilson against the Jungle Cats. The Federation decided to keep the "A" team in the Cup of Harmony and have the underdog "B" teamers face the powerful Jungle Cats. Coach David Bostwick oversaw a brilliant game by goalkeeper John Bartlett and goals by Anton Gregor and Bruce Badger and the Stars sent shockwaves through the Atlantian Oceania region by posting their first-ever victory over Vilita, 2-0, to advance to the semifinals of the AOCAF tournament for the fourth consecutive year. "That was one of the biggest highlights in Sarzonian football history," Bostwick said after the game, still wet from a Gatorade shower as the stadium clock shut off and the referees began keeping official time on the field. "It goes to show you that a little commitment and a little determination can go a long way." The Stars played almost the entire first half in their end of the pitch, allowing 12 of the 17 shots they would give up in the first 40 minutes of the match. The Stars finally got their chance when midfielder "Dix" Porter stole the ball from a Vilitan defender and sprinted nearly the length of the pitch to set up Gregor for the first goal of the match as the three minutes of first half stoppage time started winding down. The goal was more than just the first in the match. It was the first time in three matches that a team wearing the white and navy Sarzonian kits scored a goal against the Jungle Cats. The goal sent the team into the locker room with momentum that they would not relinquish. "That goal was absolutely huge," Gregor, the team captain who is coming back from an ACL tear in the previous AOCAF tournament. "We finally proved we could score on these guys." The Stars took that momentum from the first half and began dominating the second half. Badger made the margin 2-0 when he won a loose ball near the end line and sent a one-time cross toward Gregor. When Gregor wheeled and fired, the shot was parried aside by the Jungle Cats' keeper, but Badger pounced on the rebound and poked the ball into the net above the sprawled keeper and into the net for the 2-0 lead in the 66th minute. From there, Vilita scarcely threatened again and the Stars rushed the field when the referee's whistle signalled the end of the match and the Jungle Cats' dominance of Sarzonia in football. "We've got a tough one against Starblaydia," Gregor said, looking ahead to the semifinal match against the host country. "They swept us in group play, so we're going to try to get our revenge in the next match." The Stars have never advanced to the finals of the AOCAF tournament. If their 2-0 shocker against Vilita is any indication, the team would probably say there's a first time for everything. |
| Posted by: Starblaydia Nov 11 2004, 07:03 PM |
| Progression to the Semis Left Side Destroys Lamonian Dreams Home advantage at Foundation Road really got Starblaydia going as they opened up the Hawks' right-wing with some fancy play. Vladimir Tsarev proved just why he's in his ninth tournament for Starblaydia as his neat interplay with youngster Jose Tirado resulted in two goals. Tsarev, 26, went on a rampaging, overlapping run that allowed him to smash the ball in-between the 'keeper and the near post. Fans had to wait for a Geraint Evans corner in the second half for the second goal, as Captain Spike Martin rose high in the box and bulleted the ball home with a great header. Just six minutes later Tirado got a goal of his own from the edge of the box. Lamoni's lack of obvious talent down their right wing should really be leading to a lot of questions in the Free Republic. Jhanna City's Benjamin Fullbright is the only Lamonian playing in the Starblaydi Leagues and, guess what? He's a right-sided midfielder? Could he have handled Tirado and Tsarev? Possibly. Now Starblaydia face Sarzonia, who along with the Druids, constitute the top-three performing teams in the Competition. This will be only their second meeting in the AOCAF in three competitions, since an aging Christian Kabeya-Mbaya and a youthful Ceri Salisbury netted in a 2-0 win for Starblaydia in AOCAF2. Final Score From Foundation Road: Starblaydia 3 - 1 Lamoni (Tsarev 18, Martin 51, Tirado 57) - (Sims 64) |
| Posted by: Sarzonia Nov 11 2004, 10:01 PM |
| Stars face familiar foes in semis The Sarzonian second choice national team, fresh off a stirring 2-0 win over Vilita, began training for a semifinals match against host nation Starblaydia with memories of two one goal losses to the Blades fresh in their minds -- and more inaccuracies by the Starblaydi media staring them in the face. Starblaydia's media outlet incorrectly reported that the match would be only the second meeting between the teams in AOCAF history, leaving the Stars bristling. "We just played them twice in group play," Coach David Bostwick said. "Not to mention playing them twice in [World Cup 17]." The Stars lost their first-ever meeting to Starblaydia, 2-0 but won both World Cup 17 qualifying matches against the higher-ranked team. Starblaydia returned the favor and swept the Stars in qualifying. The last four matches have been by 2-1 scores. "I guess we know the score's going to be 2-1," Bostwick joked. "It's just some crazy coincidence that the last four matches against this team have ended up with that score." Despite the fact the Stars lost both matches against Starblaydia in group play, the team is confident they can overcome their streak of three straight losses in the semifinal round and defeat Starblaydia for the first time in the tournament's history. "It's very hard to beat the same team three times in a row in the same tournament," forward and team captain Anton Gregor said. "You've gotta think the odds will be in your favor at some point. Besides that, we might be due to beat them since the series is 3-2 them." Starblaydia has scored six goals to Sarzonia's four in the five previous meetings. Some pundits are suggesting that a 2-0 win by the Stars would be "poetic justice." "I don't care if it's 1-0 after penalties," goalkeeper John Bartlett said. "A win's a win, especially in the knockout stages." |
| Posted by: Starblaydia Nov 12 2004, 09:57 AM | ||||||
| Starblaydi Journalists hope to increase literacy Re-reading of Report Signals Rolled Eyes in Starblaydi Team Camp 'Now Starblaydia face Sarzonia...This will be only their second meeting in the AOCAF in three competitions... Starblaydia has participated in AOCAFs 2, 3 and currently 4. This is a total of three competitions, with details shown below. STARBLAYDIA IN AOCAF2
As you can see, just the one game against Sarzonia here, with Christian and Ceri getting the goals. STARBLAYDIA IN AOCAF3
Yep, no mention of Sarzonia there, so that's One match in Two Tournaments. STARBLAYDIA IN AOCAF4
Look, Look! Twice in Group play and once more for this Semi! That's gonna be the fourth time in three compeitions!! |
| Posted by: NEWI Cefn Druids Nov 12 2004, 03:58 PM |
| The Daily Druid BELMORE HAT TRICK SEALS FINAL SPOT Björn-Trevor Frederiksson on Aquiliana 0 NEWI Cefn Druids 4 After changing the entire team following the almost embarrasing exit at the hands of Pedriana, the Druids went into their AOCAF semi-final with a completely different starting eleven to their previous game. This meant that young Druidish sensation Alan Belmore, son of former Druids star Trevor Belmore, would be starting for the Driuds for the first time. He didn't disappoint. He and strike partner Rhys Owens blew away the Aquiliana Falcons with some sublime attacking play. Belmore scored a stunning first half hat-trick before manager Simon Greaves decided to take him off at half time for some bizarre reason. Owens also got his goal in the first half, from a rebounded Belmore effort. It meant that by half time, the Druids were so far aheaad that they could take it a bit easier in the second half. Of course, Aquiliana didn't just give up. The battled away for the rest of the match, but as Greaves had switched the Druids to a 6-3-1 formation by this time, they just didn't have enough to break them down. And so, after scraping into the semis on penalties with the first team, the Druids soared into their fourth consecutive AOCAF final with their second string team. Perhaps there is something in this tactic of not playing the first team, after all. The other semi-final is tonight*, so we shall wait and see if we will be having a repeat of the last AOCAF final or if Sarzonia will make it to the last stage for the first time. My money is on Starblaydia to do it again, but then I have a little inside information... Final score: Aquiliana 0 NEWI Cefn Druids 4 [Belmore 3, 26, 44, Owens 27] |
| Posted by: Starblaydia Nov 12 2004, 06:05 PM |
| Great Scriptwriter Pulls of Fantasy Final Biggest AO Football rivalry spills over into scuffles At half time in this match, with Sarzonia 2-0 up, the huge Starblaydi majority in the stands were looking rather depressed. With the Sarzonians going wild in their seats thanks to Harry Epstein's screamer a few minutes earlier, Starblaydia were getting a real ear-bashing from the manager in the dressing room. The ineffective Jakkinho was substituted for young Stefanos Stantzos who, though only 16, is built like an Ox and doesn't mind throwing his weight around. Slotting into the ineffectual midfield he backed up Simon Hill and denied Sarzonia the room or time to manouevre. Winning the ball time and time again he set up Karl Robertson twice in two minutes, which he promptly scored both of, levelling the scores. Robertson and, in particular, Stantzos' celebrations got somewhat out of hand, quickly turning into a 12-man fracas of pushing and shoving. Eventually the teams were pulled apart but there was still bad blood, so much so that the yellow cards were flying thick and fast, just like the tackles. Eventually it was Stantzos that broke the 2-2 deadlock with a powerful bursting run and shot, though he was booked for 'foul, abusive, ungenltemanly and unprofessional gestures, language and celebrations..' Just the one yellow card, though. Sarzonia were unable to come back, as Jinal Cove's Gavin Thornley kept all-comers at bay with a string of magnificent saves. Now Starblaydia meet NEWI Cefn Druids in the AOCAF Final for the second consectutive tournament, hoping to avenge their 4-3 defeat of four years ago. 'That was the greatest match I've ever been involved in,' said Midfielder Jerome Montefalcon, 'I mean, Four-Three? Incredible. Just incredible. I want revenge though.' As do we all. As do we all. Final Score From Foundation Road: Starblaydia 3 - 2 Sarzonia (Robertson 54 & 56, Stantzos 78) - (De la Rocca 21, Epstein 44) |
| Posted by: Aquiliana Nov 13 2004, 09:52 AM |
| Oh Well Too Bad Aquiliana faced the NEWI Cefn Druids. The same team that hasn't not lost a game in about the last 70 years of AOCAF competition. So they lost. In other news, the other semifinal loser, Sarzonia, has not not lost a game in the last 70 years of competition. Well, that's a good start. Perhaps we can score on those guys. I think it's time to stop adding so many paragraphs. Yea. |
| Posted by: Starblaydia Nov 13 2004, 06:28 PM |
| Campeone! Campeone! Ole Ole Ole! Starblaydia Crowned AOCAF Champions Earlier in the day we had seen Sarzonia wrap up a convincing Three-One win in Penningworth to take the third-placed spot for the third time in four years. Now that's consistency for you. Almost as consistent, in fact, as the Druids who have racked up the much-mentioned Three Titles in Three Cups ™. Starblaydia, runners-Up last time, were hoping to use home advantage and a huge amount of purple-coloured fireworks to give them the title this time. With Lord-Protector Tiberius Starblayde ready to present the trophy, albeit behind blast-proof screens with a large complement of bodyguards in tow, along with the entire Starblaydi World Cup 18 Squad, freshly back from their consolation victory over Druida. The stage was set, there was a sense of sulpher lingering in the air and the Vilitan refereeing officials got the game under way. Though Starblaydia lost the toss, this time, for 'Home' shirts they kicked off and the sell-out ninety-four thousand-strong crowd cheered. We hand you over to Starblaydia's foremost Commentator, Sven Motsonsson, for the match highlights... 0 minutes: Here we go, then, Starblaydia versus NEWI Cefn Druids for the second consectutive AOCAF final. Its a storyteller's occasion no matter who emerges triumphant tonight, though I'm sure the game of football itself will be the real winner. 3 minutes: Piper, controlling it neatly at the back, rolling it back to... oh, and Law is in here! But Thornley is out quickly to smother the ball. Tommas Piper playan awful backpass and Trevor Law was like a rat up a drainpipe getting to that ball, but Gavin Thornley got his hands to it first, just. 39 minutes: A lovely challenge by Tsarev, he's picked Posters' pocket there and releases it quickly! Jakkinho, sprinting down the pitch. He's tracked back, past McDonald, with the cross... Robertson with time! Scores! Karl Robertson with the first goal for Starblaydia! These teams have been neck-and-neck throughout this match and Karl Robertson has scored for a second, consecutive, AOCAF Final! One-Nil to the Home Team! 45 minutes: There's the Half-Time whistle, and Starblaydia are One-Nil up against Three-Time Champions NEWI Cefn Druids, in the Fourth Atlantian Oceania Cup of Association Football Final. Surely the managers won't need to gee up their teams on this occasion. 46 minutes: Tuncastle Rovers striker Rhys Owens is on for Trevor Law for the Druids, with veteran Moses Brown replacing young centre-back Tommas Piper, re-creating the Martin-Brown partnership that took Starblaydia to the World Cup Quarter-Final just four years ago. Is that something of an Omen, I wonder? 54 minutes: Northfleet takes the ball down the wing, shrugging off the challenge of Rigoberto, knocking it forward... first time cross, and it's in! Rhys Owens at the back post! He's done the same as Robertson! Tuncastle Rovers players are running rampant here with a goal each. Both Robertson and Owens have scored in two consecutive AOCAF Finals now! No wonder the Rovers are in the Starblaydi Alpha Division! Its Starblaydia one, NEWI Cefn Druids one. 61 minutes: Evans, the Half-Druidish midfielder for Starblaydia, taking the ball inside, around Leicester. Here's the shotttt... Oh my! Where did he get that from? Geraint Evans has put Starbladyia back in the lead after just five minutes with a peach of a strike. At Hallad Reavers he could have had a Goal of the Season competition all on his own, but none of them were with his left foot! A thirty-yard wonder-goal!! 90 minutes: Desperate defence by Starblaydia, throwing ten men behind the ball, it's Po, but cleared this time by substitute Doukas, just trying to hit it as far out as he can... and there it is! Starblaydia are the Champions! NEWI Cefn Druids have been beaten for the first time in four AOCAF Finals by the new regional champions - STARBLAYDIA! Final Score From the Jader Barbalho: Starblaydia 2 - 1 NEWI Cefn Druids (Robertson 39, Evans 61) - (Owens 54) |
| Posted by: Sarzonia Nov 14 2004, 01:27 PM |
| Stars wrap up third place again Sarzonia offers Starblaydi journalists 'remedial lessons' With the first-ever tournament featuring a second choice Sarzonian national team, expectations were thrown out the window for Sarzonia advancing past the semi-finals for the first time. The Stars returned to -- and won -- the third place match again for the third time in four AOCAF tournaments with a convincing 3-0 win against Aquiliana. "We were disappointed to be back in the third place match once again," Coach David Bostwick said. "But when you play in a third place match, you still want to do what you can to win. We did our jobs out there against Aquiliana." The Stars got goals from midfielder John De la Rocca, defender Trevor Crenshaw, and forward Kevin Wilson and another clean sheet by goalkeeper John Bartlett and cruised to the easy victory. "What this tournament did for us is to establish some depth on the national team," Bostwick said. "Bartlett was a major find and he'll really be able to push Troy Perkins for the starting job. Trevor Crenshaw and [midfielder] Dix Porter will be big helps to the team." Host country Starblaydia became the first team to defeat the NEWI Cefn Druids in the finals, beating them 2-1, but Sarzonia's Sporting Life magazine noticed yet another error involving the Starblaydi media reports of a Sarzonian match report. The Starblaydi news report reported that the final score of the Stars win over Aquiliana was 3-1 instead of 3-0. "We're willing to offer any member of the Starblaydi media a chance for some remedial lessons in journalism," magazine executive editor Cathie Graham. "Perhaps that will improve the accuracy of their reporting in the future." [OOC: Please take this in the spirit I'm intending it... good natured ribbing.] |
| Posted by: NEWI Cefn Druids Nov 15 2004, 08:32 AM |
| The Daily Druid TIME FOR A NEW MANAGER? Björn-Trevor Frederiksson on Starblaydia 2 NEWI Cefn Druids 1 NEWI Cefn Druids manager Simon Greaves was close to getting the bullet last night as his team came home from the AOCAF cup without the trophy. After playing what was, in effect, his second eleven to such success in the semi-final against Aquiliana, for some reason no-one else knows, he resorted back to the uninspiring first-choice eleven for the final. Big mistake. The Druids lost their first ever match in the knockout stages of the AOCAF, and lost it without so much of a wimper. The Druids' man of the match was Rhys Owens, and he only came on at half time. Such a poor managerial decision as changing a team that wins 4-0 to a team that needs penalties to beat Pedriana is not a simply poor decision, it is something only an absolute idiot would do! Yes Mr Greaves, you cost us the tournament, your poor management got us knocked out of the World Cup, it was your decision to apoint "no" man Amos Hinton to the post of defensive coach. Mr Greaves - YOU ARE AN IDIOT!!! Indeed, it is thought that if the Druids don't go home from The Eagles Nest with the trophy, then it will be the end for Greaves. Who will take his job? Well, Liam Gessemschmitthaagen-Po is retiring after the Eagles Cup, so his name will be thrown about. I'm sure that a lot of other names will also be put up for the job as well. For Greaves now, it's the Nest or bust. |